CLUSTER APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF WINE TOURISM: FOREIGN EXPERIENCE AND POSSIBILITIES OF ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The proposed article states that a cluster is a sectoral and/or territorial voluntary association of organizations that closely cooperate with each other, as well as with other entities in the value creation chain, with the aim of increasing the competitiveness of their own products, their export, and promoting the economic development of the region. It is noted that the clustering of the economy has long been a way to ensure the effectiveness of the territorial organization of social development. The peculiarities of cluster structures in the field of tourism are clarified: unlike others, tourist clusters are dependent on the sources of tourist resources, which are used to meet the needs of the population for rest and recreation, and can be interpreted as artificial. It has been established that the first tourist clusters emerged at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s in the USA and only later spread to other countries in Europe and the world. From that time until now, wine clusters have been the most effective and now dominant in tourism. The experience of functioning of the leading foreign wine clusters (USA, Chile, France) is analyzed. The organizational structure of clusters is considered, the first level of which forms the core of the cluster, the second level – auxiliary companies, and the third level – service companies. A short excursion into the genesis of winemaking in Ukraine was made and its current state was studied, the existing potential and opportunities for starting wine clusters in Ukraine for the activation of wine tourism were analyzed. The problems, the solution of which can ensure the establishment of wine cluster structures in Ukraine, are identified. It was noted that for the formation of clusters and their development in Ukraine, there is an acute lack of coordinated actions of all those who can participate in their initiation and development: from state authorities to the private sector. Appropriate management personnel, review and finalization of regulatory support for the activities of cluster structures, as well as proper state support and assistance policy are also necessary, etc.