UKRAINE IN THE GLOBAL TOURISM SPACE: ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND ADAPTATION TO EUROPEAN UNION STANDARDS

Abstrakt

INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVE. At the current stage of development of international relations and economic globalization, the concept of international cooperation in the tourism sector, integration into the European tourism space, and adaptation of national legislation to European Union standards are critically important for ensuring the competitiveness of the national tourism industry. Factors necessitating the deepening of international tourism cooperation include the globalization of tourist flows, the need to harmonize legal standards for tourist rights protection, implementation of unified quality systems for tourism services, as well as the transformation of international cooperation priorities under conditions of full-scale war. International cooperation and European integration play a crucial role in the development of the national tourism industry and in achieving the objectives of tourism enterprises. Under martial law conditions, international cooperation acquires special significance as an instrument for preserving Ukraine's tourism potential, attracting international support for infrastructure restoration, and promoting the concept of tourism as a peacebuilding instrument. The aforementioned outlines the relevance of this research and reflects the objective of this article as a comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms and forms of Ukraine's international cooperation in the tourism sector within the context of European integration processes and determination of prospects for adapting national legislation to European Union standards.

RESEARCH METHODS. The article employed the following scientific general economic methods: the method of systemic analysis, the method of comparative (legal-comparative) analysis, the formal-legal method, the method of generalization, and the statistical method.

RESULTS. It has been established that Ukraine is consistently integrating into the international tourism space through participation in the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) (since 1997) and the European Travel Commission (ETC) (since 2022), with the election as chair of the UNWTO European Commission in 2023–2025 demonstrating growing international recognition. The normative-legal framework of international cooperation has been analyzed, which is based on the Law of Ukraine "On Tourism" and establishes a comprehensive mechanism for regulating the activities of foreign tour operators through mandatory creation of local representative offices. Progress has been identified in adapting Ukrainian legislation to Directive (EU) 2015/2302 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on package travel and linked travel arrangements through harmonization of requirements for informing tourists and a system of financial responsibility guarantees (minimum €20,000 for tour operators), however a critical problem has also been identified in implementing European standards for hotel classification: as of 2025, only 220 facilities (less than 10%) have Hotel Stars Union certification. The strategic significance of integration into the European Union Single Market Programme and the Ukraine Facility financial mechanism (€50 billion for 2024-2027) for tourism infrastructure modernization has been confirmed, and transformation of international cooperation priorities under conditions of full-scale war has been identified – from infrastructure development to cultural heritage preservation and promotion of the concept of tourism as a peacebuilding instrument.

CONCLUSIONS. Ukraine's international cooperation in the tourism sector is implemented through diversified mechanisms of institutional integration (UNWTO, ETC), normative-legal regulation, and adaptation to European standards, which provides a platform for promoting national interests and exchanging experience with the international community. The legislative framework creates a balanced mechanism for protecting the national tourism market through regulation of foreign operators' activities while maintaining openness to international cooperation, with the harmonization process with European Union norms demonstrating progress in the sphere of tourist rights protection and financial guarantees, however the problem of slow implementation of European hotel classification standards remains due to outdated normative framework. Participation in European Union financial support programs (Single Market Programme, Ukraine Facility) opens opportunities for industry modernization and investment attraction, while the full-scale war has dramatically changed the priorities of international tourism cooperation, reorienting them toward cultural heritage preservation and preparation for post-war recovery, yet European integration processes continue to deepen even under martial law conditions.

KEYWORDS: international cooperation in tourism, European integration, United Nations World Tourism Organization, European Travel Commission, legislative adaptation, tourist rights protection, Hotel Stars Union, Association Agreement, tourism policy.