POTENTIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AND RESORT AND RECREATION SPHERE OF THE REGIONS OF UKRAINE ON THE BASIS OF SUSTAINABILITY
Authors: STEHNEI Marianna , CHERNYCHKO Tetiana , NOD Orshoia 
Published: May 2023

Introduction. Modern economic development conditions are characterized by rapid dynamics and unpredictability of global, national, and regional changes. Therefore, the development of the tourism industry and the resort and recreation sphere of Ukraine and its regions requires research into the existing potential and implementation of the principles of sustainable, balanced development by the Agenda for the 21st century in the field of travel and tourism industry developed by the World Tourism Organization.
The purpose of the article is to study and systematize the characteristics of the potential of the tourism industry and the resort and recreation sphere of the regions of Ukraine based on sustainability.
The results. The article examines the category "potential", clarifies the concept of the potential of the tourism industry and the resort-recreational sphere of a separate territory, improves the theoretical justification of the balanced regional development of the tourism industry and the resort-recreational sphere and methodical approaches to assessing its potential by taking into account the imperatives of balance, classification of factors and resource base. The characteristics of the current state of the tourism industry and the resort and recreation sphere of Ukraine are systematized, and their strategic orientations are outlined. The natural and geographical characteristics of the resource base for the balanced development of the studied area of the regions of Ukraine were analyzed, and the Zakarpattia region was singled out and characterized from the viewpoint of the existing forestry potential. Rating of Ukraine's regions based on the potential of tourism and recreational exploitation of forests has been constructed.
Conclusions. It has been proven that Ukraine has all the potential to become a leading state in the world in terms of the potential of the tourism and resort recreation sector. Zakarpattia Oblast is a tourist attraction for Ukrainian and foreign tourists due to its existing natural and geographical resource base. The strengthening of European integration processes and international relations will contribute to the promotion of the national tourism and recreation product and integration into the world information and tourism space. It is recommended to focus on the balanced principles of regional development of the tourism and resort-recreational sphere on the interactions of man with nature and people among themselves, which aim to meet the needs of restoring the physical and mental strength of representatives of the present and future generations through the production and consumption of tourist-recreational services. Regional development processes should be based on the careful use and restoration of environmental resources and support of socio-cultural historically built values of individual territories and their inhabitants.
Keywords: tourism, recreation, potential, region, sustainable, balanced development.