SOCIAL NETWORKS AS A TOOL FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN STAKEHOLDERS OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN A CRISIS PERIOD

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to reveal the possibilities of tourism development thanks to the use of tools of social networks. The war and the coronavirus pandemic have had a negative impact on the tourism industry as a whole. To restore and further develop the tourism sector and the hospitality industry, it is necessary not only to restore and strengthen tourist destinations and infrastructure, to offer new tourist products, but also to establish effective communication between tourist enterprises and consumers of tourist services. Social networks are an effective tool for this kind of tasks. The relevance of the study of social networks as a platform for promoting a tourism brand is due to their dynamic development and distribution in the world. The research methodology is based on the application of a complex of scientific methods, both general scientific and special. In particular, there is a systematization of a significant amount of scientific, statistical, analytical information, drawing analogies between scientific principles and one's own experience of using social networks in tourism. The method of assessment, content analysis, and observation is applied. The role and importance of social networks for the realization of a tourist product has been proven. The author's methodology for assessing the quality of the state of social media of key tourist operators that are economically active on the territory of Ukraine is demonstrated. Also, the interdependence of the influence of social media on the development of the tourist brand of destinations, territories or tourist objects was formed and monitored. It consists in revealing the importance of social media as a communication tool for producers and consumers of tourist services in crisis situations. Social networks act as one of the key tools for attracting the attention of tourists, in particular citizens of other countries, which in turn develops the tourism brand of both Ukraine as a whole and its individual regions, and increases the tourist attractiveness of destinations. The potential of effective use of SMM in tourism can be considered as a driver of the rapid recovery of tourist flows after the victory over russia.