MANAGEMENT OF THE TOURIST AND RECREATIONAL POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE KRASNOSILSKA RURAL TERRITORIAL COMMUNITY BASED ON THE RESOURCES OF THE KUYALNIK ESTUARY

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive assessment of the tourist and recreational potential of the Kuyalnik Estuary as a strategic resource for ensuring the sustainable socio-economic development of the Krasnosilska rural territorial community. Contemporary theoretical and methodological approaches to interpreting the definition of "tourist and recreational potential" are systematized, with an emphasis on its organizational, managerial, and economic components. Using structural-functional and comparative-geographical methods, the key economic-geographical, demographic, and resource components of the community's potential are analyzed. The research examines spatial advantages, favorable logistical location, land fund structure (where water fund lands account for 21.4% of the total area), human capital (with a population of 14,968 people), and the scale of representation of socially vulnerable groups. A detailed comparative analysis of the balneological indicators (therapeutic peloids and brine) of the Kuyalnik Estuary against leading global resorts is carried out, reasonably proving the existence of significant competitive advantages of the facility according to the "quality-price" criterion. The application of the SWOT analysis methodology revealed that the existing tourist and recreational potential is currently capitalized at only 20-30%. A set of managerial and institutional barriers hindering its commercialization is identified: the ecological degradation of the water body, the lack of modern tourist infrastructure, and the limited capacity of the local budget to directly stimulate entrepreneurial activity (only 2.8% of expenditures against the backdrop of dominating social spending). It is proven that effective management of this sector requires a radical revitalization of the institutional capacity of the Krasnosilska village council's administrative apparatus. The feasibility of attracting international grant programs (based on the experience with DOBRE and DECIDE) and implementing public-private partnership mechanisms is substantiated. Special attention is paid to the prospects of developing social entrepreneurship in the tourism, environmental, and recreational spheres. It is proven that such an innovative approach will create new jobs for veterans and internally displaced persons, reduce the burden on local social protection programs, diversify the agrarian economy, and secure the community's status as one of Ukraine's leading balneological resorts.