Natural resource factors in assessing the competitiveness of the tourism and recreation sector of the Carpathian region of Ukraine

Abstract

The article examines how natural conditions and resources influence the competitiveness of the tourism and recreation sector of the Carpathian region of Ukraine. It highlights the methodological approaches to their assessment in the system of competitiveness factors in the studied sector of the regions on a national level. To calculate the competitiveness indices, the following dominant indicators are suggested: forested areas, mountainous areas, objects in the nature reserve fund, UNESCO World Heritage sites, medicinal mineral waters, deposits of therapeutic mud, ozokerite, lakes and estuaries with therapeutic brine, density of the river system, area of lakes, ponds and reservoirs, availability of sea beaches, number of hunting sites on the territory of hunting grounds. In addition to the partial indices for Ukraine’s regions based on individual indicators of natural resource factors, integral indices of regions are calculated. According to the indicators of integral indices of the impact of natural resource factors on the competitiveness of the tourism and recreation sector, the rating of the oblasts of the Carpathian region is determined, in particular: Zakarpatska (4.3) and Lvivska (3.4) oblasts are ranked first and second, Ivano-Frankivska – fifth (3.1), and Chernivetska – seventeenth. In general, natural conditions and resources offer significant competitive advantages to the region’s oblasts in providing wellness, tourism and wellness (especially in Lvivska and Zakarpatska oblasts), tourism and recreation, and tourism and sports services, particularly in skiing. The article reveals that the combination of natural conditions and resources available in the Carpathian region provides significant competitive advantages for its oblasts in the tourism and recreation sector at the national level.