ACCESSIBILITY OF TOURIST OBJECTS INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE TRANSCARPATHIAN REGION (ON THE BASIS OF SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH)

Abstract

The development of all spheres of life leads to the formation of new challenges of accessibility (physical, social, informational, etc.) facing people, including people with disabilities. Taking into account the development of the tourism sector in Transcarpathia, the study of accessibility of this environment for people with disabilities becomes relevant. The purpose of the article is to present a sociological section of the issue of accessibility of tourist infrastructure in the Transcarpathian region. To achieve this goal, the following research methods were used: analysis of scientific sources on the state of the problem; presentation of the results of the sociological research "Forests for society − forests without barriers&quot. The article presents the results of the project Forests for Society − Forests without Barriers (FOR SOC), which was implemented by partners from Ukraine, Slovakia and Norway under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism Program  of Cross-Border Cooperation Priority. The project aims to establish a cross-border partnership to support tourism development and the promotion of tourist attractions, in particular in forest areas, together with capacity building in multifunctional forest management to provide social functions and offer services to forest visitors and tourists, including people with disability opportunities. The result of the analysis was the identification of the main problems in terms of accessibility of the tourism environment and the feasibility of using mechanisms (financial, information) in improving the opportunities for people with disabilities to visit these facilities. It has been established that the main obstacle in visiting the forest for all age groups of respondents is their limited opportunities and uncleared cluttered forest. It is important to take into account foreign experience in providing the tourism industry with modern information and communication technologies to improve opportunities to visit tourist sites. Ensuring «accessibility» is crucial and social, as it directly affects the use of the full range of human rights by persons with disabilities and other low-mobility groups; plays a key role in creating an inclusive society in which people with disabilities can participate in everyday life.