Tendencies in Photo Tourism Development in Ukraine (on the example of Transcarpathian region)


  • N. V. Chyr
Keywords: photo tourism, photo tour, photo location, food photography, gastronomic photo tour, Transcarpathian region

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to investigate the main vectors of photo tourism development in Ukraine as an innovative trend in active tourism. On the basis of systematization of the definitions available, the author presents her own vision of the concept “photo tourism”, as well as its main functions. The author gives a brief outline of the geography of the most popular photo tours in the world and emphasizes prospects for development of photo tourism within Ukraine on the basis of the touristic recreational potential available. Among the most popular destinations of photo tourism in the world for street photography and genre photography we can highlight Europe. Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Madrid, Prague and Lisbon are considered to be truly picturesque photo locations. In terms of scenery tours, the top ranking directions are exotic ones, such as South-East Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, India, Tibet, China, Nepal, Ethiopia, Bhutan and Malaysia. The whole territory of Ukraine is appealing in terms of photo tour development, though the Ukrainian Carpathians and the Crimea possess the best qualities for scenery, panoramic and genre photography. At present photo tours are being actively carried out only in the Western regions of the country. The most interesting natural locations have been described, which might become the basis for photo tours within the boundaries of Ukraine in the future. The objects to be captured by the camera lens are mostly historical and cultural heritage – castles, fortresses, palace complexes. The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone has become a particularly interesting photo location. A range of schematic maps depicting tourist photo locations in the West of Ukraine has been created. The second vector of the development of photo tourism in Ukraine is the landscapes of the Carpathian Mountains. The following photo tours are successfully implemented and the most popular among tourists: “The Marmaros Mountains: photo trip along the Ukraine – Romania border”; “Verkhovyna Watershed Ridge”; “Borzhava Mountain Valley”; “ Pre-Watershed Gorgany”; “Svydovets Massif”; “Marmaros Massif”. The article analyzes the photo tour proposals nowadays available for Ukrainian tourists, their value and territorial organization. The findings of the research suggest that photo tourism is predominantly directed outside the boundaries of Ukraine whereas the development of internal photo tourism is significantly slower. The benefit of the study is that the author has developed a new tourist product in the market of tourist services of Ukraine – the programme of the photo tour “Gastronomic Transcarpathia”. Food photography of Transcarpathian cuisine is considered to be a promising and innovational element in the development of the tourist industry in the region. This article mentions limiting factors hindering development of photo tourism in Ukraine and in Transcarpathian region in particular.

Author Biography

N. V. Chyr
State higher educational establishment “Uzhgorod National University”

References

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Published
2018-07-10
How to Cite
Chyr, N. (2018). Tendencies in Photo Tourism Development in Ukraine (on the example of Transcarpathian region). Journal of Geology, Geography and Geoecology, 27(1), 51-59. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.15421/111830