Innovative technologies as a factor for increasing the competitiveness of tourism enterprises

Abstract

The article explores the impact of innovative technologies on enhancing the competitiveness of tourism enterprises. The study aims to analyze the current state of innovation in Ukraine's tourism industry and identify strategic directions for its innovative development to improve competitiveness and adapt to modern global trends. General scientific methods of cognition, including analysis, synthesis, comparison, systematization, and generalization, were employed in the research. The findings indicate that although Ukraine's innovative development in tourism demonstrates some progress, it generally remains at the level of developing countries. Key achievements include the introduction of online booking systems, the use of social media for promoting tourism products, and some advancements in virtual reality applications. However, these initiatives fall short of global innovation trends such as developing integrated platforms, leveraging big data, and employing artificial intelligence for personalized marketing and customer experience management. Major challenges for Ukraine’s tourism industry include outdated infrastructure, environmental issues, poor conditions of historical and cultural landmarks, lack of urban planning regulation, a shortage of skilled professionals, limited use of national characteristics, and insufficient exploration of tourism potential. The war has created significant additional challenges for the industry, including infrastructure destruction, regional security concerns, and considerable human and economic losses. These factors have further restricted opportunities for tourism development and reduced its appeal to both foreign and domestic visitors. The study proposes strategic directions for the innovative development of tourism in Ukraine after the war, including the clustering of the tourism industry, fostering IT startups, promoting thematic and educational tourism, and implementing smart city and tech-tourism concepts. Adopting these strategies will facilitate the integration of innovative technologies into daily life, align with global sustainable development standards, and enhance the competitiveness of the sector.