TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES OF LVIV OBLAST: PREREQUISITES AND PERSPECTIVES
Authors: Khudoba Oksana 
Published: December 2024

The modern world in the conditions of globalization is experiencing a period of radical and rapid changes in all spheres of economic activity, including tourism. The growing popularity of active recreation among the population contributes to increasing interest in mountain regions.
With its rich tourist potential, Lviv region occupies one of the leading places in the country's tourism sector. Of great importance for the development of tourism in this region are the mountainous areas of the region, which have powerful tourist resources and always attract a large number of tourists. The growth of domestic tourism gained special significance during the war, which made adjustments to the development of the country's tourism industry, which on the one hand contributes to the socio-economic development of the region, and on the other - has a significant anthropogenic impact on natural ecosystems.
The purpose of the article is to study the prerequisites and spatial features of the development of tourism in the mountain communities of Lviv region, as well as to determine the future prospects of its operation in the region.
Tourism belongs to the group of industries that have a pronounced resource orientation. The tourism specialization of the region and its development in general depend on the availability of certain tourist resources in a certain territory and favorable factors. Natural, historical, cultural and infrastructural prerequisites in combination with a favorable geographical location, ecological cleanliness of the environment, local flavor and authenticity, narrow specialization of the region's economy led to the active development of tourism in the mountainous areas of the Lviv region.
The natural prerequisites for the development of tourism in mountainous areas are mountainous relief, a favorable climate, a dense river network, a large number of mineral springs, high forest cover, etc.
No less important for the development of the tourism industry are the historical and cultural assets of the region. There are a total of 295 monuments of cultural heritage included in the State Register of National and Cultural Heritage, including 221 monuments of architecture, 44 monuments of history, 18 monuments of art, and 12 archaeological monuments in the mountainous territories of the Lviv region.
An important prerequisite for the development of the tourism industry in the region is the presence of a developed infrastructure of accommodation and catering facilities. There are 324 accommodation establishments operating on the territory of the mountain communities of the Lviv region, including 90 hotels, 17 sanatoriums and boarding houses, 33 SPA complexes, 131 homesteads, and 19 recreation centers. The studied region is also characterized by a developed network of food establishments, which includes 84 restaurants, 59 cafes, 27 cafes and bars, and 14 other establishments. In 2023, the tourist tax in mountainous territorial communities amounted to 13.8 million UAH, which is 30% of the total amount of the tax in the region. The mountain communities of the Lviv region are in demand among tourists throughout the year, but the highest peak of tourist flows falls on the period of vacations and holidays.
The further development of tourism in the region will contribute to the increase of revenues to local budgets, and this creates many prospects for the development of the industry. The introduction of modern technology in the field of tourism, which includes the creation of mobile applications, the use of information technologies, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, as well as online booking, which allow to improve the service of tourists and improve the quality of travel. Innovative solutions in the field of transport, guest service, ecology and other related areas will contribute to increasing the tourist attractiveness of the region, increasing the employment of the local population, developing infrastructure and preserving local traditions and customs of the mountain communities of Lviv region.
Keywords: tourist resources, mountain communities, tourism, Lviv region.