WELLNESS TOURISM IN THE SYSTEM OF PSYCHOPHYSICAL RECOVERY OF THE POPULATION UNDER WAR-RELATED CHALLENGES

Abstract

The prolonged impact of war has intensified the need for accessible forms of recreational support aimed at maintaining physical, psycho-emotional and social well-being. In Ukraine, this issue is particularly relevant for military personnel, veterans, internally displaced persons, volunteers, medical workers, families of defenders and civilians who have experienced stress, loss or forced relocation. In this context, tourism and recreation acquire not only leisure and cognitive functions, but also a supportive role in restoring personal resources, strengthening resilience, encouraging social interaction and gradually returning people to everyday activity. The purpose of the article is to clarify the content of wellness tourism as a form of health-oriented recreation and to determine its potential for recreational and psychophysical recovery in the Ukrainian context. The study is based on the methods of analysis and synthesis of scientific literature, comparison of approaches to the interpretation of wellness, health and medical tourism, generalization of Ukrainian and international approaches to recovery-oriented recreation, systematization of restorative components of wellness tourism, and analysis of practical tourism and recreation initiatives aimed at supporting people affected by war. The results show that wellness tourism should be interpreted as an interdisciplinary recreational practice that combines natural and balneological resources, health-enhancing physical activity, SPA and wellness services, relaxation, healthy nutrition, cultural impressions, supportive communication and safe travel experiences. Its recovery potential is revealed through four interconnected dimensions: physical restoration, psycho-emotional stabilization, social support and inclusive recreation. The article emphasizes that wellness tourism should not be equated with medical tourism or formal rehabilitation, since its main function is preventive, recreational and supportive rather than clinical. At the same time, it may complement a broader system of recreational and social support for people affected by war-related challenges. The Ukrainian experience, including the Travel Therapy project in Lviv region, confirms the practical possibility of using nature-based trips, cultural routes and group travel as tools of emotional relief, social reintegration and family interaction. The practical value of the article lies in identifying promising directions for the development of wellness tourism in Ukraine: creation of safe wellness destinations, modernization of resort and recreational infrastructure, development of short recovery trips, implementation of barrier-free solutions, training of tourism staff for sensitive communication, and cooperation between tourism, recreation, health care, local communities and public initiatives.