GEOGRAPHY OF DARK TOURISM IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the resource base for the development of «dark» tourism in Ukraine. Since the issue of «dark» tourism is insufficiently studied in scientific sources, but is already of interest in science and society, scientific attempts to study «dark» tourism in Ukraine are considered relevant and timely. Methods. The author's analysis of materials of modern scientific researches and researches concerning theoretical and practical aspects of development of «dark» tourism in Ukraine and the world is carried out. A thorough analysis of publications of the current Ukrainian press, popular publications, news media resources, materials of information portals, websites of travel companies has been performed. Results. The preconditions for the development of «dark» tourism in Ukraine are described. The resource base of this type of tourism is investigated. A list of 120 potentially popular for tourists «dark» places and objects (medieval castles, dungeons, thematic museums, prisons, cathedrals, ancient settlements, cemeteries, anomalous areas, places of power, battlefields and battles, etc.) that can used in the development of new tourism products. According to the monitoring data, a map of «dark» tourism facilities in Ukraine has been completed. The geographical (by macro-regions and regions of Ukraine) and thematic (according to the objects belonging to specific types of «dark» tourism: mystical tourism, necropolis tourism, thanatourism and catastrophe tourism) structuring of these objects, and regularities in their geospatial organization are revealed. The most interesting objects of «dark» tourism of the regions of Ukraine are singled out and a brief description of more than 60 destinations is given. The practical significance. The results of monitoring of «dark» tourism in Ukraine can be used as a database for the development of an interactive map, and their characteristics, presented in the article, become a meaningful content of such a map, as well as used as content to fill thematic websites, information portal , YouTube and Telegram channels, mobile applications. The materials of the article can also be used in the process of forming tourism development programs of the country, in arranging the infrastructure of the relevant profile (quest rooms, amusement parks, thematic entertainment centers), in organizing cultural events, competitions, quests, festivals, educational tours in mystical places to promote them. among tourists and attracting additional investment in the activities of tourism enterprises that plan to expand the existing range of tourism programs by developing «dark» tours and excursions.