SCIENTIFIC APPROACHES TO CONCEPTUALIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF TOURIST INFRASTRUCTURE

Abstract

The article analyses definition and origin of the term “infrastructure” in relation to the tourism industry. The content and classification of the “tourist infrastructure” concept are analyzed on the basis of domestic and foreign approaches. The authors tried to define main components of tourist infrastructure. Successful development of tourist industry is impossible without appropriate tourist infrastructure, ensuring material and technical provision for tourism and plays an important role in satisfying of tourists’ needs. Despite an enormous quantity of scientific researches connected with tourist infrastructure development, there is a lack of its single definition acceptable for all scientists. In Ukraine tourist infrastructure is usually defined as a combination of certain facilities ensuring tourist activity and providing hosting, servicing and transporting for tourists: hotels, tourist complexes, campings, motels, boarding houses, catering, transport businesses, cultural and sports facilities etc. However, a strict definition to characterize tourist infrastructure does not exist. That is why a large number of approaches to tourist infrastructure take place. In our article we examined the researches of the scientists, who have worked on this issue: T. O. Volkova, H. J. Dovhopola, I. V. Yerko, J. S. Korabelnikova, D. A. Korneva, S. P. Kuzyk, I. M. Minich, O. V. Mischenko, V. I. Novikova, M. J. Rutynskyj, O. V. Stetsjuk, L. M. Cherchyk, I. M. Shkola, etc. The most significant foreign contributions by V.Havoretski and A.Rain were considered as well. Materials from Tourism and Transport Forum, 2012, covering the structuring of tourist infrastructure into 4 types, were also important for our elaboration. Tourist infrastructure includes a large amount of services necessary to satisfy tourist’s demands and ensure comfortable stay at the destination, thus promoting its attractiveness. We distinguish between the main (accommodation and catering, communication, tour operators), additional (entertainment and recreation facilities, tourism information giving centers, specialized shopping facilities) and maintenance (checkpoints, petrol stations, banking institutions, insurance groups, health protection and public utility services) tourist infrastructure.