According to European statistics, 35% of the big cities’ inhabitants in EU prefer to have a rest in the countryside. Eco tourism or green tourism has existed in Europe for more than half a century and France is its homeland. In the middle of the 20th century, many French farmers began to move to the cities because of the losses they incurred in agriculture. To slow down this process somehow, the French government offered to organize the conditions on farms for the reception of tourists. And in the 70 years of the 20th century rural tourism in France received an independent status. Now it brings about 1 billion dollars in profits to the state budget of the country.
Green tourism for many residents of megacities has become not only an opportunity to escape from the suffocating stone jungle to countryside, but also a chance to return to the sources and traditions of ancestors who lived with deep respect for nature and its gifts. For foreign guests of Ukraine, green tourism is an opportunity to live in authentic Ukrainian village, to learn the history and traditions of this or that region, to learn about local natural beauties and to become a direct participant of rural life in the Ukrainian province.
Two types of green tourism can be named: active leisure like hiking with overnight stays in tents, bike tours, rafting, fishing and hunting. The second type of green tourism is about direct residence in the village, where the tourist becomes a participant in everyday routine. The guests can see the rural life with their own eyes, as well as to care for livestock, prepare firewood, work in the garden, be engaged in beekeeping and try themselves at various crafts.
The Carpathians in the period from spring to autumn is one of the most popular regions for both types of green tourism. The incredible beauties of nature, the variety of routes, the abundance of picturesque mountain villages, where the ancient Ukrainian traditions are carefully preserved, make this region the pearl of green tourism in the country.
Crystal clear air and delicious cuisine, prepared exclusively from natural products, bathing in mountain lakes and rivers can restore not only spiritually, but also physically. In addition, the tourists can learn a lot about the history of the region by visiting numerous unique museums and excursions.
Odesa and Mykolayiv regions are no less interesting for green tourism. Fresh sea air, sea adventures in combination with the traditions of fishing and winemaking make this region so attractive for tourists. Small farms with their vineyards or small houses of fishermen with nets in the courtyard are a real romance.
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But if the sea and mountains are too far away at the moment, then guests can enjoy green tourism in Kyiv region. Not far from the noisy capital there are lots of places of high demand by eco tourists. And sometimes it is not needed to go to some special village, but it's enough to rent the appropriate housing in the suburbs. The choice is very large, and the tourist can always stop at something specific, whether it's a stable estate, a house with a large garden, a villa with a household or a bee yard.
In any other region of the country, the tourist will be able to find its unique features that make this type of tourism so attractive in Ukraine. Affordable prices for recreation, preservation of old traditions, picturesque nature and sincere hospitality attract more and more green tourists to our country. It is important not only to preserve and maintain this uniqueness, not only to pass it on to future generations, but also to turn it into a national treasure that brings money to the state treasury.
Over the past 5-10 years, the whole world has begun to change its attitude towards ecology, to the role of human being in the eco system, to the consumption of natural resources and the processing of all kinds of waste. The first steps have been made already, and this awareness affects all spheres of human activities, including tourism.
Photos: shutterstock.com
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