Transport and geographic location of recreational and tourist centers as a factor in the development of tourism (on the example of Chernivtsi oblast)
Authors: Kostaschuk Volodymyr 
Published: August 2023

The peculiarities of the transport and geographical position of Chernivtsi oblast and the possibilities of its use for the development of tourism and recreation are analyzed. The possibilities of transport connection of the region with other regions of Ukraine and foreign countries are investigated. Some aspects of the location of individual recreational and tourist centers of the region relative to the most important transport highways in the context of the transfer of tourists to the main destinations are revealed.

Transport services are an integral part of the tourist product and an important factor in the development of tourism in the region. The transport accessibility of the most popular tourist facilities depends on the level of development of the transport complex, which in turn affects the price of the tourist product, its quality and the final impressions of tourists from visiting tourist places.

One of the key factors affecting the development of the transport complex of the region is its transport and geographical position. The influence of this factor is first of all revealed in the location of the region relative to the main international and important national routes of communication, as well as in the distance and ease of communication from the main transport highways to the centers of recreational and tourist activity.

Chernivtsi oblast, despite the size of the territory (the smallest by this indicator in Ukraine), has a favorable transport and geographical position in the context of tourism development. This is due to the following aspects:

1) A number of highways of international and national importance pass through the territory of the region, which continue in the neighboring countries – Romania and Moldova and other regions of Ukraine. The total length of public roads in the region in 2020 was 2.9 thousand km. Thus, there are more than 358 kilometers of highways per 1,000 km2 of the region’s area.

2) A fairly developed network of railway tracks has been formed in the region, within which a number of suburban and intercity railways operate. In 2020, the length of railway tracks in the region was 413 kilometers, or almost 51 km of tracks per thousand square kilometers of the region’s territory.

3) An international airport operates in Chernivtsi oblast center. This is the only facility in the region that allows air communication with other regions of Ukraine and countries of the world.

Therefore, Chernivtsi oblast occupies a favorable transport and geographical position. This is primarily due to its border location and the availability of transport connections with Romania and Moldova, as well as a significant number of road and rail connections, an international airport in Chernivtsi. In general, the transport and geographical location of the main tourist and recreation centers is favorable for the development of tourism. However, the state of transport infrastructure, in particular most local roads, creates significant obstacles in the provision of quality tourist services. The most problematic aspect in this matter is the restoration of the bridge across the Prut River between the villages of Dubivtsi and Hlynnytsia. This will make it possible to significantly improve the road connection of recreational and tourist centers located in the southwestern part of the region with the M-19 and H-10 highways, which play the most important role for the arrival of tourists in the region. It is also important to increase the number of direct flights between the regions of Ukraine and with foreign countries, rail transport from Chernivtsi and to restore regular air flights.