Village tourism as an effective tool of rural development
Village tourism can be considered as a leisure activity in the rural environment with inherent buildings, lifestyle, and ethnocultural features of the area.
This kind of tourism envisages the one can live in a typical rural house experiencing village way of life, traditions, heritage, cuisine and nature, having rest from busy cities.
Ukrainian village can deliver extremely diverse rural tourism product which includes:
Distinctive way of life,
huge historical and architectural folk heritage,
eco-food,
picturesque landscapes, etc..
Socio-economic significance of rural tourism with regard to modern priorities of rural development in Ukraine means:
encouragement of the development of peasant farms;
intensification of local infrastructure development;
activation of the local labor market, increasing employment;
preservation of ethnocultural identity of Ukrainians as well as all of ethnic minorities` communities;
positive impact on raising the cultural level and environmental awareness of the villagers.
Promoting the development of rural tourism
Professional training of advisers and experts on the provision of services in rural tourism, commissioned by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine;
Studies of the discipline "Organization of rural tourism" in the curriculum within the "Tourist Services” speciality;
course training for citizens who want to start their own business in the countryside which includes studying of organizational, legal and economic principles regarding formation and operation of rural tourism.
Area for Development
Creation of a favorable legal environment for the development of rural tourism;
creation of an effective system of quality assurance of services, which will guarantee fulfilling the needs of the consumers and compliance with standards for environmental protection, etc.
formation of stimulating and encouraging mechanisms via attraction of investments, preferential lending to homeowners for the modernization of homes, training, advertising, etc .;
dissemination of information about recreation in the Ukrainian countryside and historical, natural, ethnographic features of Ukraine.
Cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union in the field of tourism: political and legal aspect
Interest in the EU as a tourist destination is growing every year across the world. As such, carrying out joint activities with the EU in the field of rural tourism, and formation of a common policy will strengthen the domain on a global scale and help to establish cooperation between EU Member States and Ukraine. The cooperation in the field of rural development provided in the articles 403, 404 of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine.
Social partners
Public Union «Association Hospitality Industry of Ukraine»
4, A.Petrytskogo str., Kyiv, 03155
Union of Rural Green Tourism of Ukraine
Vasyliiev V.P., a/s 4, Kyiv, 04209
tel. (044) 223-38-17, www.greentour.com.ua.