Economic and ecological priorities for tourism development in the mountainous regions of Ukraine

Abstract

The article substantiates the conceptual foundations and practical tools for implementing economic and ecological priorities for the tourism industry development in the mountainous regions of Ukraine. It is proved that the specifics of mountain ecosystems, which have a low threshold of resilience to anthropogenic loads, require the subordination of economic interests of business entities to the principles of sustainable development. Ignoring environmental consequences leads to irreversible landscape degradation, which destroys the primary recreational baseline and reduces the long-term competitiveness of destinations.

A comprehensive analysis of the current state of the tourism services market in the Carpathian region (Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zakarpattia, and Chernivtsi oblasts) has been carried out. The study reveals a structural phenomenon of forced hyper-concentration of domestic tourist flows in 2021–2025, which resulted in a 78.4% average increase in the number of persons accommodated in collective accommodation establishments. Despite positive financial consequences in the form of doubled tourist tax revenues (up to UAH 79.8 million), this process is extensive in nature and is accompanied by a 92% increase in municipal solid waste generation, creating a critical load on the local engineering infrastructure of communities.

As a result, a architectural framework of strategic guidelines for state and regional policy has been formed. It integrates macro-level legislative standards, meso-level infrastructure investments, and local tools of communities and businesses into a single managed governance loop capable of converting environmental constraints into long-term economic dividends.

The institutional barriers that prevent local self-government bodies from effectively using existing regulatory powers under the conditions of power decentralization are identified. The outlined scientific provisions create a foundation for developing targeted municipal programs for the development of "green" entrepreneurship and environmental insurance for recreational activities.