The issue of rural tourism as an important factor in the development of village was discussed during the round table discussion in the Committee on Family Matters, Youth Policy, Sports and Tourism
25 November 2013, 12:14
The event was organized by the subcommittee on tourism, resorts and recreational activities development.
Ivan Bushko, Chairman of the subcommittee, stressed that the concept of
multifunctional development of agricultural area and assignment of industrial
activity is gaining the increasing world recognition.According to the people’s deputy, development of rural and agricultural tourism that provides for employment of rural population, increase of village labour potential and redevelopment of rural communities are important components in implementing such a strategy.
Amidst the pre-conditions of rapid development of rural tourism, I.Bushko named presence of:
private housing;
unemployed or partially employed able-bodied population;
agricultural products that are ready for sale and the 2/3 of which are produced on personal farms.
Apart from this, the people’s deputy noted, Ukraine’s countryside is rich in picturesque places, natural reserved funds, cultural and historical heritage and local traditions, etc.
According to I.Bushko, development of the rural tourism does not require high investments, which is an important factor.
Thereat, the Chairman of the parliamentary subcommittee stressed that Ukraine has to address the issue of legal regulation of development and functioning of rural green tourism.
The people’s deputy noted that in the EU countries like Poland, Hungary
and Romania
social relations in the sphere of rural tourism are regulated by regulatory legal acts that clearly distinguish who is the travel
services provider.
The speaker drew everyone’s attention to the fact that two bills were submitted to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration: the bill on amendments to the Law “On personal farming” re development of rural green tourism (Reg. No. 2530a) and the bill on amendments to the Tax Code re taxation of provided services in the sphere of rural green tourism (Reg. No. 2529a).
As the people’s deputy, one of the authors of the bill, Ishtvan Haidosh stressed, the documents were elaborated in order to eliminate the problems that prevent the development of rural tourism.
Member of the Board of the “Union for Promotion of Rural Green Tourism in Ukraine” Lesia Zaburanna claimed that necessity of amending specifically the Law “On personal farming” is connected with the fact that “nowadays farming remained almost the only custodian and multiplier of national economic cultural and ethnical traditions, the guarantee of their indestructibility.”
L. Zaburanna also stressed that peculiarity of personal farming lies in the fact that these are in general “family type farms that allow a tourist to feel the atmosphere of real rural family, national hospitality, culinary customs, etc.”
Following the results of the discussion, participants of the round-table claimed that there is an objective necessity of rural economy’s diversification based on choosing new strategic direction by personal farms – rural green tourism.
I.Bushko made a conclusion that discussion of the issue during the round table will help “not only to stress the attention of social significance of rural tourism as an important factor in settling a lot of social and economic issues of a village, but will also help elaborate a clear regulatory scheme of providing tourist services to owners of personal farms.”