Development of tourist and local research activities in the Zaporizhzhia oblast, Ukraine

The relevance of the research topic is due to the fact that tourist and oblast studies in Ukraine and its oblasts are especially in the light of recent events (the annexation of part of the country's territories by the Russian Federation (2014), the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) in the world as never before one of the most effective forms of gaining knowledge, developing creative thinking, practical skills and abilities, ensuring national-patriotic education of youth and schoolchildren, as well as expanding the horizons of local residents and visiting tourists and sightseers. Consequently, the organization of leisure activities, including tourism and local history of the population in most oblasts of the country, will contribute to the development of domestic tourism, which continues to be one of the priority areas of economic development, the sphere of cultural policy and education, the comprehensive development of the individual and the involvement of the population in the study of natural and cultural and historical heritage. Ukraine is one of the largest countries in European countries, its geopolitical position, the presence of unique natural, man-made and cultural-historical tourist and recreational resources contribute to the development of tourist and oblast studies, the formation of new routes of national tourism and sightseeing practices. To improve the conduct of tourism and local history in Ukraine and the Zaporizhzhya oblast in particular, it is necessary to adjust the traditional forms and methods of tourism and local history to receive education, based on the expansion of the scientific component and the strengthening of the processes of cognitive activity. A characteristic feature of the Zaporizhzhya oblast is a unique combination of natural conditions, landscapes, tourist and recreational resources with historical, cultural, archeological, architectural, monumental art, technical structures and objects, as well as technological processes. In the oblast there are centers of historical and cultural tourism: Bilmak, Vasilyevka, Gulyaypole, Zaporizhzhya, Kamenka-Dneprovskaya, Melitopol, Orekhov, Tokmak. The Strategy for Oblast Development of Zaporizhzhya oblast for the period until 2027 states that the historical and cultural heritage of the oblast is an integral part of the entire cultural heritage of our country. In terms of measures for the period 2021-2023. To implement the Oblast Development Strategy of the Zaporizhzhya oblast, the use of the tourist and recreational potential (especially in the coastal areas) has been determined. The article proposes new approaches to the organization of tourism and local history studies, excursion programs (both thematic and overview), tourist trips in the oblast of study that will make it possible to better know your country, to get acquainted: not only with the sociocultural environment, traditions, customs, features of everyday and economic activities of the Ukrainian people, as well as other national cultures living in the territory; with monuments of nature, history and culture; with the study of the environment, etc. Zaporizhzhya oblast has the most powerful potential for the development of tourism and local history activities, and therefore it is also necessary to focus all efforts on improving the quality of services, development of tourism infrastructure, which will attract more recreational, tourists and sightseers.