GASTRONOMIC TOURISM AS A DRIVER OF SUSTAINABLE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: CURRENT TRENDS, INNOVATIONS, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR UKRAINE
Abstract
The article examines the role of gastronomic tourism as an important driver of sustainable regional development and a tool for enhancing the tourism attractiveness of territories. The essence of gastronomic tourism is considered through its economic, socio-cultural, and environmental dimensions, emphasizing its ability to create added value, support local producers, preserve culinary heritage, and ensure the balanced use of regional resources. Particular attention is paid to current global trends in the development of gastronomic tourism, including the growing demand for local and organic products, authentic culinary experiences, farm-based tourism, and gastronomic festivals, as well as the increasing role of digital technologies, innovative marketing tools, and online platforms in promoting gastronomic tourism products. The international experience of gastronomic tourism development is analyzed, and the key instruments for its effective functioning are identified. These include the formation of territorial gastronomic brands, the development of thematic gastronomic routes, support for small-scale producers, and the integration of gastronomic heritage into comprehensive tourism products. It is substantiated that gastronomic tourism contributes to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, the preservation of cultural identity, the promotion of national cuisine, and the stimulation of local and regional economies. Special attention is paid to the opportunities for the development of gastronomic tourism in Ukraine. The main prerequisites and prospects for its advancement are determined, taking into account the country’s rich culinary heritage, regional diversity of traditional cuisine, and the growing demand for authentic and sustainable tourism experiences. The necessity of forming effective national and regional policies is substantiated, including the development of gastronomic infrastructure, territorial branding, digital promotion, and integration into the international tourism market. It is concluded that gastronomic tourism can become a strategic factor in strengthening regional competitiveness and ensuring sustainable socio-economic development.
References
Hjalager, A.-M., & Richards, G. (Eds.). (2002). Tourism and Gastronomy. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203218617.
Stone, M.; Castillo-Ortiz, I. A simplified approach for food traveller segmentation based on involvement. Tour. Recreat. Res. 2024, 50, 965–970.
Kokkranikal, J. Gastronomy tourism experiences: The cooking classes of Cinque Terre. Tour. Recreat. Res. 2024, 49, 161–172.
Нікітчук Ю. О. Гастрономічний туризм як складова регіонального туризму (на прикладі Хмельницької області). Конструктивна географія та раціональне використання природних ресурсів. 2021. Вип. 1(1). С. 4-14.
Гапоненко Г.І., Євтушенко ОВ., Шамара І.М., Болото К.І. Перспективи розвитку гастротуризму України в повоєнний період. Вісник Харківського національного університету імені В. Н. Каразіна. Серія: Міжнародні відносини. Економіка. Країнознавство. Туризм. 2023. Вип. 17. С.128-140. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26565/2310-9513-2023-17-11.
Medina, F.-X.; Vázquez-Medina, J.A.; Covarrubias, M.; Jiménez-Serna, A. Gastronomic Sustainable Tourism and Social Change in World Heritage Sites. The Enhancement of the Local Agroecological Products in the Chinampas of Xochimilco (Mexico City). Sustainability 2023, 15, 16078.
Фесенко Г. О. Гастротуризм як актуальний тренд сучасного розвитку сфери туризму в Україні. Ефективна економіка. 2021. № 5. DOI: 10.32702/2307-2105-2021.5.200.
Лепкий, М., & Левчук, О. (2024). Гастрономічний туризм як інструмент брендингу регіонів України. Інновації та технології в сфері послуг і харчування, (3 (13), 62-68. https://doi.org/10.32782/2708-4949.3(13).2024.10
Vargas, A. M., de Moura, A. P., Deliza, R. Ve Cunha, L. M. (2021). The role of local seasonalfoods in enhancing sustainable food consumption: A systematic literature review. Foods, 10(9), 2206
V. Boiko, O. Liubynskyi, L. Strikha, O. Y. Zarakhovskyi, S. Neilenko. Development of Culinary Tourism in European Countries. IJCSNS International Journal of Computer Science and Network Security. VOL. 21 No.4, April 2021 С. 167-177
Давидюк, Ю. В., & Горшкова, Л. О. (2022). Гастрономічний туризм як перспективний напрям для розвитку індустрії гостинності в Україні. Індустрія туризму і гостинності в Центральній та Східній Європі. (4), 5-13. https://doi.org/10.36477/tourismhospcee-4-1
Семенюк, Л., Рудич, А., & Бірюкова, О. (2025). Роль гастрономічного туризму у сталому розвитку готельно-ресторанної справи та підвищенні привабливості регіонів України. Економіка та суспільство. (75). https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2025-75-56
Yakimenko-Tereschenko Н. В., Chaika Т. Ю., & Masliuk Ю. В. (2024). Virtual Guides in Culinary Tourism: Prospects for Development and Implementation. Problems of Modern Transformations. Series: Economics and Management. (11). https://doi.org/10.54929/2786-5738-2024-11-03-05
Boyko, Z. V., Horozhankina, N. A., Korneyev, M. V., Shcholokova, H. V., & Umanska, S. O. (2024). Peculiarities of the development of gastronomic tourism in Georgia. Systems and Technologies. 68(2), 147-154. https://doi.org/10.32782/2521-6643-2024-2-68.17
Paunić, M., Kalenjuk Pivarski, B., Tešanović, D., Novaković, D., Šmugović, S., Šarenac, N., Ivanović, V., Mlinarević, P., & Marjanović, J. (2024). Gastronomic Identity Factors in the Function of Sustainable Gastronomy: A Case Study of Tourist Destinations in the Republic of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sustainability. 16(19). 8493. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16198493
Hjalager, A.-M., & Richards, G. (Eds.). (2002). Tourism and Gastronomy. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203218617.
Stone, M., & Castillo-Ortiz, I. (2024) A simplified approach for food traveller segmentation based on involvement. Tourism Recreation Research, vol. 50 pp. 965–970.
Kokkranikal, J. (2024) Gastronomy tourism experiences: The cooking classes of Cinque Terre. Tourism Recreation Research, vol. 49(1), pp. 161–172.
Nikitchuk, Y. O. (2021) Hastronomichnyi turyzm yak skladova rehionalnoho turyzmu (na prykladi Khmelnytskoi oblasti) [Gastronomic tourism as a component of regional tourism (case of Khmelnytskyi region)]. Konstruktyvna heohrafiia ta ratsionalne vykorystannia pryrodnykh resursiv – Constructive geography and rational use of natural resources, vol. 1(1), pp. 4–14. (in Ukrainian)
Haponenko, H. I., Yevtushenko, O. V., Shamara, I. M., & Boloto, K. I. (2023) Perspektyvy rozvytku hastroturyzmu Ukrainy v povoiennyi period [Prospects for the development of gastronomic tourism in Ukraine in the post-war period]. Visnyk Kharkivskoho natsionalnoho universytetu imeni V. N. Karazina. Seriia: Mizhnarodni vidnosyny. Ekonomika. Krainoznavstvo. Turyzm – Bulletin of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Series: International Relations. Economics. Country Studies. Tourism, vol. 17, pp. 128–140. https://doi.org/10.26565/2310-9513-2023-17-11 (in Ukrainian)
Medina, F.-X., Vázquez-Medina, J. A., Covarrubias, M., & Jiménez-Serna, A. (2023) Gastronomic sustainable tourism and social change in World Heritage Sites: The enhancement of local agroecological products in the Chinampas of Xochimilco (Mexico City). Sustainability, vol. 15, 16078. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151016078
Fesenko, H. O. (2021) Hastro-turyzm yak aktualnyi trend suchasnoho rozvytku sfery turyzmu v Ukraini [Gastronomic tourism as a current trend in tourism development in Ukraine]. Efektyvna ekonomika – Efficient economy, vol. 5. https://doi.org/10.32702/2307-2105-2021.5.200 (in Ukrainian)
Lepkyi, M., & Levchuk, O. (2024) Hastronomichnyi turyzm yak instrument brendyngu rehioniv Ukrainy [Gastronomic tourism as a tool for regional branding in Ukraine]. Innovatsii ta tekhnolohii v sferi posluh i kharchuvannia – Innovations and technologies in the service and food industry, vol. 3(13), pp. 62–68. https://doi.org/10.32782/2708-4949.3(13).2024.10 (in Ukrainian)
Vargas, A. M., de Moura, A. P., Deliza, R., & Cunha, L. M. (2021) The role of local seasonal foods in enhancing sustainable food consumption: A systematic literature review. Foods, vol. 10(9), 2206. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10092206
Boiko, V., Liubynskyi, O., Strikha, L., Zarakhovskyi, O. Y., & Neilenko, S. (2021) Development of culinary tourism in European countries. IJCSNS International Journal of Computer Science and Network Security, vol. 21(4), pp. 167–177.
Davydiuk, Y. V., & Horshkova, L. O. (2022) Hastronomichnyi turyzm yak perspektyvnyi napriam dlia rozvytku industrii hostynnosti v Ukraini [Gastronomic tourism as a promising direction for the development of the hospitality industry in Ukraine]. Industriia turyzmu i hostynnosti v Tsentralnii ta Skhidnii Yevropi – Tourism and hospitality industry in Central and Eastern Europe, vol. 4, pp. 5–13. https://doi.org/10.36477/tourismhospcee-4-1 (in Ukrainian)
Semeniuk, L., Rudych, A., & Biriukova, O. (2025) Rol hastronomichnoho turyzmu u stalomu rozvytku hotelno-restorannoi spravy ta pidvyshchenni pryvablyvosti rehioniv Ukrainy [The role of gastronomic tourism in sustainable development of hospitality and regional attractiveness]. Ekonomika ta suspilstvo – Economy and society, vol. 75. https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2025-75-56 (in Ukrainian)
Yakymenko-Tereshchenko, N. V., Chaika, T. Y., & Masliuk, Y. V. (2024) Virtual guides in culinary tourism: Prospects for development and implementation. Problems of Modern Transformations. Series: Economics and Management, vol. 11. https://doi.org/10.54929/2786-5738-2024-11-03-05
Boyko, Z. V., Horozhankina, N. A., Korneyev, M. V., Shcholokova, H. V., & Umanska, S. O. (2024) Peculiarities of the development of gastronomic tourism in Georgia. Systems and Technologies, vol. 68(2), pp. 147–154. https://doi.org/10.32782/2521-6643-2024-2-68.17
Paunić, M., Kalenjuk Pivarski, B., Tešanović, D., Novaković, D., Šmugović, S., Šarenac, N., Ivanović, V., Mlinarević, P., & Marjanović, J. (2024) Gastronomic identity factors in the function of sustainable gastronomy: A case study of tourist destinations in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sustainability, vol. 16(19), 8493. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16198493
Copyright (c) 2026 Сергій Неіленко, Ірина Кудінова, Світлана Олюніна
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
