THE IMPACT OF GOVERNMENT REGULATION INSTRUMENTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ECOTOURISM DESTINATION

Abstract

Introduction. Ecotourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the modern tourism industry. Some countries are even trying to use ecotourism as a tool to achieve sustainable development. The purpose of the article is to analyze and assess the impact of government regulation instruments on the development of ecotourism destination. Results. The article is aimed at studying the current state of ecotourism and ecotourism destination in Ukraine. The attempt was made to give a critical analysis of the consequences and problems of ecotourism in Ukraine and substantiated recommendations for best practices in ecotourism. The article tries to answer the following questions: if there are opportunities and challenges for ecotourism in Ukraine; what instruments of state regulation affect the development of ecotourism destination; whether ecotourism can be a useful tool for sustainable development of the country; how ecotourism can be an effective means of developing and conserving available resources. The analysis shows that Ukraine has many opportunities for the development of ecotourism but its effective practice and implementation are not promising due to the lack of commitment to public policy and planning strategy with an integrated combination of conservation and development. Thus, the proper design of ecotourism, the principles and theories of ecotourism should be considered as the main basis while shaping effective policy and planning. The proposed model of principles of sustainable development is based on ecotourism destination. The main levers of state influence on ecotourism destination in Ukraine are grouped. Four principles of sustainable development based on an ecotourism destination have been identified, which include - minimizing negative impact on the environment, respecting host cultures, maximizing welfare and benefits for the local population, and increasing tourist satisfaction. Conclusion. It has been established that the concept of sustainable development of ecotourism should be adopted in all ecotourism directions in order to meet the needs of vacationers as a priority. This requires effective tools of state regulation of the development of an ecotourism destination. Key words: ecotourism destinations, government regulation, government influence, ecotourism, sustainable development.