Faculty of the Department of Agricultural Consulting and Service got training on Rural Ecotourism

     In November, faculty of the chairs of Agricultural Consulting and Service, Management named after Prof. Zavadskyi J.S. passed distance training program “Experience of Rural Green Tourism in the countries of the European community”, organized by the international consulting company “CLM Consulting”, in the city of Warsaw, Poland.

     Its goal is to deepen the knowledge and gain practical skills in the management of Rural Ecotourism through introduction of European standards, to learn the basic fundamentals of individual business in ecotourism, etc.

     World experience of progressive economy puts tourism on the first place among other industries in terms of exports of goods and services. According to the World Tourism Organization, in more than 40 countries of the world tourism has become the main source of budget replenishment, and in 70 countries – one of the three main income items. Ecotourism is seen as an alternative to agriculture-size profits. In addition, the development of ecotourism infrastructure requires significant investments if compared with other types of tourism and can be done at the expense of the peasants without additional investment. Ukraine, having chosen a strategic course of integration into the structures of the European Union, took the challenge to accelerate the reform of various spheres of socio-political and economic life of the country, particularly the service sector of tourism, transforming it to EU standards.

     Internship Program includes rural ecotourism in the countries of the European community, its present state and features of development, European standards, guidelines on starting business in this field, experience of ecotourism in Poland and its adaptation to the conditions of Ukrainian market environment.
     In addition, educational-editorial calendar plan envisaged elaboration of practical tasks, such as developing a business plan for starting business in ecotourism, work with documents, pricing policy, evaluation of the quality of tourism products. The success of their performance was determined by test check.
     Trainees also learned about the main activities of “Euro Gites” – European Federation of Farm and Rural Tourism. Success factors of agro-tourism in Europe are political support of national states and EU, high competitiveness of agro-tourism products, effective microeconomic model, role of regional authorities in developing agro-tourism, state programs on development of agro-tourism, information form on tourism products – interactive databases.

     Trainees have not only deepened their knowledge but also gained practical skills in organization and management of rural ecotourism that would contribute to the success of the educational process in the “Tourism” area.

Tetiana Kalna-Dubiniuk,
Head of the Chair of Agricultural
Consulting and Service