Intangible Cultural Heritage as a Resource for Local Tourism Development in Ukraine: The Example of Crafts

The dissertation is a manuscript in which intangible cultural heritage is studied as an important resource for the development of local tourism in Ukraine, with tourism presented as an effective means of preserving and promoting living culture, using traditional crafts as an example of one of its manifestations. The work justifies the theoretical and methodological foundations, as well as practical recommendations for the formation of a modern form of intangible cultural heritage tourism. It also argues for shifting the focus to crafts, as they serve as a convenient example for creating a unique tourism product.
The research examines the role of cultural heritage as an interdisciplinary field of scientific inquiry. The definition of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and its legal status are determined based on international and national legislation, particularly the 2003 Convention. The study analyzes gaps in the definition of the term "place of habitation of an ICH element," emphasizing the significance of the authenticity of the place as the environment for transmitting the element to future generations. Ignoring these aspects poses a risk of replacing living culture with imitation, distorting the authentic meaning of intangible heritage.
The study systematizes UNESCO Directives on the interaction between ICH and tourism, defining the role of living culture in tourism, which requires the creation of a collection for use in education and the work of ICH managers. The importance of preserving both tangible and intangible heritage for national identity and security is emphasized.
Based on the works of leading experts, and resources from UNWTO and UNESCO, the study analyzes the growing interest in ICH research: familiarity, observation, study, and the acquisition of experience for unique impressions, which distinguishes it from other forms of cultural tourism. ICH tourism is recognized as responsible tourism, promoting the study of sustainable lifestyles of ICH communities, their socio-economic development, and the achievement of SDGs.
The research systematizes theoretical concepts of cultural tourism varieties, specifically highlighting a group where intangible culture is the primary focus. As a result of the analysis, the definition of "intangible cultural heritage tourism" (ICH tourism) has been refined and expanded, offering a more accurate reflection of the specific nature of this tourism type's resource base. This approach allows for a more differentiated view of ICH tourism compared to less specific terms such as "creative tourism," "heritage tourism," "creative tourism," or "cultural tourism related to ICH," which are often found in scholarly works .
The study compares ICH tourism with other types of ethnographic and regional tourism, systematizing the common and distinctive features, which allowed this tourism type to be distinguished as a separate direction. The main difference lies in the emphasis on heritage preservation and creating conditions for its transmission to future generations, ensuring the sustainable lifestyle of ICH communities. Market niches within cultural tourism have been analyzed, highlighting the attractiveness of ICH tourism due to the diversity of living heritage. Principles for the protection of ICH have been systematized to ensure responsible use of culture and protection from commercialization.
Based on UNWTO research for UNESCO, a comprehensive analysis of the development of ICH sites as a result of the interaction between tourism and ICH has been conducted. A scheme for using ICH resources as a tourist product for the long-term economic benefit of communities has been proposed. Tasks for the beneficiaries of ICH tourism have been outlined, and key stages of ICH integration into tourism have been defined, including the preservation of authenticity, sustainable use, and the transmission of cultural knowledge through tourist practices. Universal recommendations for those interested in developing ICH tourism have been developed.
Based on the analysis of the impact of ICH tourism development on the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, recommendations have been proposed for submission to the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications and the State Tourism Development Agency regarding the implementation of practical cooperation rules for tourism stakeholders with ICH bearers in Ukraine. These rules should adhere to international ethical standards for sustainable cultural development, preservation of authenticity, and equality of ICH manifestations. The analysis of the experiences of Spain, the Saami Tourism Project in Finland, Mexico, as well as border communities of Romania and Poland, confirms the promising nature of the proposed methodology.
A model of the resource base for the development of local ICH tourism in Ukraine has been created, which includes documented elements of ICH included in the National and regional registers. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of these elements has been conducted, revealing the problem of imperfections in the management of regional lists, such as the lack of a unified registration form for ICH bearers, insufficient updating of the lists, and, in some cases, their complete absence. This complicates communication between tourism organizations and ICH resources. The analysis of the interaction between state, public, and local authorities in the process of identifying, documenting, preserving, and promoting ICH elements revealed contradictions due to the lack of coordination between the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications and State Tourism Development Agency. This significantly slows down the development of ICH tourism.
A project for the creation of an information platform to support the development of local ICH tourism in Ukraine has been developed. The platform gathers information about the locations of ICH tourism resources in the regions, their relevance, and provides practical information for participation in ICH tourism. Cataloging of the places of habitation of ICH elements is recommended according to a methodology for assessing their attractiveness. A methodology for systematizing the resource base has been developed, defining discrete elements of ICH tourism—point, location, center, and node-cluster—based on tourismological research. Logical data analysis allows for the inductive formation of a methodology for developing the ICH base for different categories of visitors.
The result of the systematization is a conceptual scheme for the actualization of ICH in local tourism, which involves integrating ICH into tourism destinations, such as the ICH tourism center in Kosiv into the "Hutsulshchyna" destination. It is also proposed to merge the centers of Opishnya, Reshetylivka, and Petrykivka into a node- cluster, creating a unique ICH tourism product. Based on surveys of managers and experts from seven ICH centers, an initial assessment of the prospects for sustainable local ICH tourism has been conducted. The results are incorporated into the SWOT analysis and the algorithm of the author's strategy for creating a model of ICH tourism, which can be adapted to other ICH elements. It is also proposed to involve ICH bearers and communities in informal tourism education through collaboration with the Academy of Rural Development at the "Union for the Development of Rural Green Tourism in Ukraine."
The practical results of the study can be recommended for the development of national, regional, and local-level programs for the advancement of ICH cultural tourism, particularly for the development strategies of united territorial communities where ICH elements are preserved and developed.
The research results are being used in the planning of cultural ICH tourism development in communities: by the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Reshetylivka City Council in Poltava Oblast in cooperation with the All-Ukrainian Center for Embroidery and Carpet Weaving (Reshetylivka), and by the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Krolevets City Council in Sumy Oblast in cooperation with the Krolevets Towel Museum. The fundamental logical structure for organizing local ICH tourism using crafts as a form of tourism activity, which should strengthen and develop authentic crafts and trades as an important part of Ukrainian culture, has been taken into account by the National Union of Folk Art Masters of Ukraine. The strategy, implementation plan, and recommendations for practical actions, including ways to minimize the negative impact of tourism on the ICH element "Petrykivka painting," were taken into account by the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Organization of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine.
The importance of developing a strategy for ICH-based cultural tourism was noted and taken into consideration by the All-Ukrainian Public Organization "Tourism Association of Ukraine" in the direction of implementing projects for cooperation between communities, businesses, and civil society within the organization’s activities.
At the Department of Tourism of the National University of Physical Education and Sport of Ukraine, within the framework of the department's scientific research topic "Creation of an Innovative Competitive Tourism Product" (state registration № 0121U108205), the research results are being used in the teaching of the following courses: "Tourist and Local Lore Practicum" (Bachelor's level), "Organization of Excursion Activities" (Bachelor's level), and "Innovations in Tourism" (Master's level). The results enabled higher education students to conduct their own scientific research. The results were also implemented in the development of the research project 19KP050- 01 "Indicator Analysis of Sustainable Development in Ukraine" (registration number UkrINTEI 0119U103875) as part of the comprehensive scientific program "Regional Problems of Rational Natural Resource Management" of the Department of Country Studies and Tourism of the Faculty of Geography of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv during the 2023-2024 period. These results are used in the teaching of "International Tourism Business," "Foundations of Regional Development" (Bachelor's level), and "Scientific Foundations of Sustainable Tourism Development" (Master's level). Additionally, the results were implemented in the Kosiv ICH center as part of the continuation of the project "52 Lifestyles in the Carpathians: Cooperation in Creating Products of Authentic Labor Cultures in Ivano-Frankivsk Region" by the Kosiv Museum of Folk Art and Life (a branch of the Kolomyia Museum of Hutsul and Pokuttia Folk Art named after Y. Kobrynskyi).

Безносюк О.І. Нематеріальна культурна спадщина як ресурс розвитку локального туризму в Україні на прикладі ремесел : дис. ... доктора філософії : 242 Туризм / наук. кер. О.О. Любіцева. Київ, 2024. 328 с.