Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Panel
Session Title
Carpathians-Appalachians: Perspectives of Tourism Development in Highland Regions
Session Abstract or Summary
This session deals with sustainable tourism development in the Ukrainian Carpathians. A truly unique bioregion, the Carpathians support plant and animal species not found anywhere else in the world. Ukrainian villages in the Carpathians also have a rich ethnographic heritage, and continue to maintain cultural traditions found nowhere else in Europe. However, many highland villages in the region suffer acute social problems, including high levels of unemployment and underemployment, which forces many residents to work abroad. At present, tourism remains one of the best hopes for sustainable development in the Ukrainian Carpathians. This session analyzes attempts at developing sustainable tourism in the area known as “Precarpathia,” a mountainous area that includes 913 square kilometers, 5 National Parks and 2 National Biosphere Preserves. Special focus will be made on the development of touristic activities that promote the area’s rich cultural heritage, local traditions and “highland” identity. We analyze how tourism directly benefits these highland communities economically and how it might also help preserve highland identity. The session will demonstrate how tourism can help publicize local traditions, folk customs, regional music, and local food ways. All presentations will be in power point accompanied by images, short videos, diagrams, statistical and analytical data.
Presentation #1 Title
Sustainable Tourism Development in the Ukrainian Carpathians: Adequate Foreign Language Support as a Key to Success
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This presentation analyzes attempts at developing sustainable tourism in the Ukrainian Carpathians. The research reveals that the majority of individuals working at tourism establishments have inadequate levels of foreign language proficiency and this lack of proficiency has an important impact on the number of tourists visiting the mountain region. Those institutions with the most success are those which staff employees with the most advanced multilingual skills. The research was conducted by randomly surveying tourism establishments in the above region, including hotels, hostels, private homes and guest houses. A content analysis of their websites also comprises the data set, as it is assumed that many of these tourism establishments book their guests online. The presentation proves that in the Ukrainian Carpathians touristic facilities will remain seriously disadvantaged as long as their staffs possess inadequate foreign language proficiency. Although green tourism has been on the rise in the Ukrainian Carpathians over the past decade, much of that growth has been the result of internal improvements within Ukraine, which has, in turn, allowed more individuals from urban areas to take extended vacations in the countryside. Foreign visitors, as the data suggests, have largely stayed away from the smaller rural villages. If green tourism is to be truly successful in these rural communities, the language proficiency of hospitality staff will need substantial improvement. One remedy might be for universities in Precarpathia to require students in their hospitality degree programs to be fluent in English, since the majority of international tourists now converse in that language during their time abroad. Having adequate knowledge of a second language would certainly provide hospitality workers in the Ukrainian Carpathians with the necessary cultural capital needed to compete in the 21st-century global economy.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Roman Poznanskyy
Associate Professor of English at the Division of Foreign Languages and Country Studies, Faculty of Tourism, Precarpathian National University
Roman Poznaskyy has multiply participated in the ASA annual conferences.
He is also in charge of collaboration between Precarpathian National University, Ukraine and a number of US colleges.
Presentation #2 Title
Hotel Businesses in the Ukrainian Carpathians: Preserving Highland Identity through Hospitality Services
Presentation #2 Abstract or Summary
Ukrainian villages in the Carpathians have a rich ethnographic heritage, and continue to maintain cultural traditions found nowhere else in Europe. The population is generally hardworking and industrious and certainly benefits from its proximity to pastoral landscapes and unspoiled mountain scenery. However, very little national attention has been paid to the development of hospitality services that also preserve the region’s highland identity. Despite the fact that there has been a long legacy of tourism-based economies in the Carpathians, little has been done to ensure that the industry actually preserves and promotes authentic cultural traditions.
Since 2005, sustainable rural tourism has been steadily on the rise in the Precarpathian region, with a number of establishments being opened in even the most remote mountain areas. However, when coming to the Carpathians, tourists often do not always patronize green touristic hotels or rural guest houses run by local residents. This is unfortunate since many of these establishments are built in traditional highland style--with elements of architecture peculiar for this mountainous region--and provide authentic cuisine and a unique home atmosphere found nowhere else in the world. The presenter will argue that it is important for the Ukrainian hotel industry to develop these small family-run eco-tourism ventures rather than promote the development of well-known international hotel chains such as Hilton, Radisson or Sheraton. It is the author’s conclusion that in the age of globalization, it is important for the hospitality industry to help preserve the cultural and ethnic identity of the mountain region, rather than exploit it for economic gain.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Myroslava Senychak is a Hotel Manager, Training Supervisor at the Precarpathian National University.
She is a leading expert in hotel business. She is particularly interested in developing sustainable hotel business in the highland areas of the Ukrainian Carpathians.
She is also in charge of supervising educational training undertaken by students of the Precarpathian National University.
Myroslava Senychak majored in Tourism and Hospitality and received Master’s Degree in Tourism in 2010.
Presentation #3 Title
Developing Extreme Tourism in the Ukrainian Carpathians
Presentation #3 Abstract or Summary
This paper presents the analysis of extreme sports development in the Ukrainian Carpathians. The presenter will provide analytical data about the present situation and future prospects for extreme tourism in the Carpathians. Our goal is to popularize extreme sports and extreme tourism destinations on the international travel market. The Ukrainian Carpathians is the promising area for the development of extreme tourism due to favorable natural conditions, climate, and scenic topography. But the poorly developed tourism infrastructure unfortunately often hampers the development of extreme tourism. Nevertheless, international image of extreme tourism in Ukraine is constantly increasing. Friendly hospitality and the rich cultural heritage of local communities are starting to attract international tourists. Unfortunately, factors such as low living standards, insufficient technical support, and the lack of foreign language proficiency by hotel staff are still quite common in the highland region.
An important task of tourism industry is to help local highland communities benefit from sustainable tourism development. The benefits from international funds, for instance, the Fund of Carpathian Eurorigion Development, Programme TACIS and others are very important for the region. The European Union opened a credit line for 100 thousand euros for the development of small private hotels for rural tourism in the Ukrainian Carpathians. Ultimately, local highland communities can benefit from the development of extreme sports and adventure tourism.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3
Uliana Budnyk is an undergraduate student at the Faculty of Tourism, Precarpathian National University.
Participant of the 39th Annual Appalachian Studies Conference “Voices from the Misty Mountains: Diversity and Unity, A New Appalachia”, March 17-20, 2016 (Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, West Virginia)
Sustainable Tourism Development in the Ukrainian Carpathians: Adequate Foreign Language Support as a Key to Success
This presentation analyzes attempts at developing sustainable tourism in the Ukrainian Carpathians. The research reveals that the majority of individuals working at tourism establishments have inadequate levels of foreign language proficiency and this lack of proficiency has an important impact on the number of tourists visiting the mountain region. Those institutions with the most success are those which staff employees with the most advanced multilingual skills. The research was conducted by randomly surveying tourism establishments in the above region, including hotels, hostels, private homes and guest houses. A content analysis of their websites also comprises the data set, as it is assumed that many of these tourism establishments book their guests online. The presentation proves that in the Ukrainian Carpathians touristic facilities will remain seriously disadvantaged as long as their staffs possess inadequate foreign language proficiency. Although green tourism has been on the rise in the Ukrainian Carpathians over the past decade, much of that growth has been the result of internal improvements within Ukraine, which has, in turn, allowed more individuals from urban areas to take extended vacations in the countryside. Foreign visitors, as the data suggests, have largely stayed away from the smaller rural villages. If green tourism is to be truly successful in these rural communities, the language proficiency of hospitality staff will need substantial improvement. One remedy might be for universities in Precarpathia to require students in their hospitality degree programs to be fluent in English, since the majority of international tourists now converse in that language during their time abroad. Having adequate knowledge of a second language would certainly provide hospitality workers in the Ukrainian Carpathians with the necessary cultural capital needed to compete in the 21st-century global economy.
