TOURIST EXHIBITIONS AND FAIRS AS THE ONLY SYNTHETIC INSTRUMENT OF MARKETING COMMUNICATION (ON THE EXAMPLE OF ENTERPRISES IN THE HOTEL AND RESTAURANT SECTOR OF TRANSCARPATHIA)
Authors:   State University “Uzhhorod National University”, Hodia Ivan 
Published: November 2024

The purpose of the article is to clarify tourist exhibitions and fairs as a single synthetic means of marketing communication (on the example of enterprises in the hotel and restaurant sector of Transcarpathia). An analysis of available publications on the specified problem was carried out, previously unresolved issues of this problem were identified. The concept of “communication” for hotel and restaurant enterprises is explained, the importance of the concept of integrated marketing communications, which is based on the vertical principle, is emphasized. It is emphasized that the synergistic effect of the use of such communications is achieved due to the formation of communication interaction between the subjects of tourism activity and potential consumers at several levels. The criteria for defining the exhibition as international are given. It is emphasized that international exhibition events include events in which exhibitors and visitors from different countries participate. International status is given to an exhibition in which the number of foreign participants is at least 10% of the total number. It is noted that an equally important role at the local level is played by gastronomic exhibitions-festivals, fairs-festivals, etc., where representatives of hotel and restaurant enterprises learn about the secrets of making exclusive dishes and drinks, which are then introduced into their own menus. Such communication enriches both the organizers of such gastronomic events and their guests, including those who are professionally engaged in this business. It is emphasized that original national dishes and drinks are represented at numerous gastronomic events of Transcarpathia, which are accompanied by highquality thematic food courts, fairs, festivals-competitions, etc. With their help, territories are promoted, and event venues are branded by fixing local dishes by region, that is, associating a certain region with specific dishes that can be considered its hallmark. Gastronomic events make it possible to increase the number of tourists and additional income. All this makes it possible to create communication platforms for representatives of local authorities, businesses, residents of settlements and their guests, as well as organizers of festivals, sales exhibitions, contests, which make it possible to raise problems of the development of gastronomic events. It has been proven that an important issue of the participation of enterprises in exhibition and fair events is their efficiency. There are many methodical approaches for its clarification. Among them is an assessment of the payback of exhibition costs, which is calculated, for example, as the sum of concluded contracts for each hryvnia invested. However, this form of assessment is not universal, as some enterprises participate in exhibitions for image reasons. In addition, the effect of participation in such events is not immediately apparent, which requires painstaking analytical work. It has been established that economic efficiency at some enterprises is calculated through a complex return on investment ratio (ROI), which includes the following indicators: costs for established contacts: the amount of investment in the exhibition, divided by the total number of established contacts; cost of impressions: the amount of investment in the exhibition, divided by the total number of visitors to the stand; the percentage of prospective contacts that led to a purchase: the number of sales, divided by the total number of established contacts; percentage of interested visitors: the total number of established contacts divided by the total number of visitors to the exhibition; sales per hryvnia of expenses: the total amount of sales for a certain time interval, divided by the amount of investment in the exhibition, etc. The further development of the issue through the study of specific gastronomic exhibition and fair events of Transcarpathia and their impact on the development of the regional hotel and restaurant business is considered promising.