The article deals with nation-branding under specific conditions of small states and their foreign relations. The first part is devoted to identification of the main specific features of small states from international relations point of view focusing to problems with classification criteria and instruments of their foreign policies. The following part of the article is devoted to analyse the role of nation branding in small state foreign policy based on example of New Zealand being traditionally identified as small state fulfilling all the above characteristics.

The paper summarizes the theoretical foundations of geoeconomics in tourism industry. The current status of tourism industry in Belarus is analyzed. Belarus is behind in its development in comparison to the tourism economies of the European countries. Overview of the countries in the polarized world tourism market is performed. Belarus is located in the geoeconomic periphery of the tourism market. The paper justifies the strategy aimed at country’s transition from the periphery to the semi-periphery of the world tourism market.

Cognitive nature tourism in Ukraine has a long tradition of development. Today, ecotourism, active forms of tourism, ethnographic trips and trips to historical and cultural destinations are mostly developed. The most popular offers come from national parks and other natural areas with preserved natural, historical and cultural environments. Among the regions with active forms of tourism, the Carpathian mountain region and the Crimea with a well-developed network of hiking and biking trails should be noted. Rafting on the Black Cheremosh, Prut, Southern Bug, Dniester, Desna, Sluch, Teteriv and other rivers is quite popular as well as trips to caves (in Podillia, the Carpathians and the Crimea), which are often combined with visits to other natural attractions. Travel agencies, specialized clubs, national parks and nature reserves, which cooperate to promote their offers on domestic and international tourist market, organize informative trips.

The definition of the sustainable tourism is considered. The purpose of the integrated spatial formation of the CBR, and its priorities are considered. The criteria for tourism development are analysed. The options for the development of touristic agglomerations are proposed. The problems that hinder the development of effective tourism and recreation industry are analysed and key objectives of local policy to encourage the development of tourist activities are identified.

The development of outbound tourism from Poland to Turkey after 2010 can be divided into three periods. The first one is connected with a stable increase in the number of departures. The second period includes the growth in the number of trips which served as a replacement for vacations in Greece, Egypt or Tunisia. The last period started in 2014, when the number of visitors rapidly declined as the result of terrorist attacks and the military coup in Turkey. Due to concerns about the security after numerous terrorist attacks, the traditional destinations of Polish tourism such as France and Morocco lost their popularity. There was the inexorable decline in trust toward countries such as Egypt and in particular Turkey, where the numbers of tourists fell by 63% after the terrorist attacks and military coup. In first half of 2015 we have about 209.2 thous. Polish tourists in Turkey, and in 2016, the same time, only 82.7 thous. what gives decrease of nearly 60.5%. Undoubtedly, the tightening of internal policies after the unsuccessful military coup will deepen the decline in interest in Turkey by Polish visitors.

The article analyses the present speleological resources on the territory of Ukraine. Within the boundaries of Podilllia speleoregion zonation has been performed in order to improve the organizational and administrative control of its tourist recreational reclamation. The relevance of Podillia speleoregion establishnment in the structure of national park has been proposed as to adjust and to monitor the whole recreational activity on its territory. The purpose of such park establishment and main dimensions of its activity have been specified. Implementation of proposed ecologically directed actions will allow to support ecological survival of caves upon the controlled intensity of recreational tourist flows.
 

The peculiarities of the development of tourism at Yavoriv National Natural Park (YNNP) are highlighted, tourist and resource potential of the park is evaluated. YNNP – nature-protected, recreational, cultural and educational, scientific and research institution of national importance, established to preserve, reproduce and efficiently use of natural complexes and objects of Roztochchia which have special ecological, healthy, historical and cultural, scientific, educational and aesthetic value. The problems and perspectives of tourist development and recreation at this ecological territory. Yavoriv national park has significant recreational potential for the development of eco-educational, historical, cultural, and sacral tourism, and sports (equestrian, cycling and skiing) tourism, and at the surrounding areas – qualified tourism (hunting, fishing). The park already operates a number of walking and bus routes, ecological and cognitive trails fixed places for rest are equipped.

The setting of Natura 2000 sites in order to conserve, promote and exploit them as distinctive areas, is both a prerequisite and an opportunity regarding pupils` education also through geography as a discipline. In this context, the present paper aims to outline some practical and theoretical aspects towards familiarizing pupils with the necessity of protecting the environment, to use and depict tourist maps, to use spatial orientation, to recognize various species of plants and dwelling within Red Valley Nature 2000 site, in Bihor county.

It was studied the cultural and historical tourist resources of small historical towns of Ivano-Frankivsk region. It was analyzed the problems of the historical and cultural heritage current state of the research region and its possible future use. It was specified the priority of cultural and historical tourism resources of small towns in terms of their tourist use and indicated the main obstacles and challenges that complicate the process.

Analyzed were the ways of interpreting key terms of the hotel industry, it was found that the degree of their definition accuracy is connected with the level of development of the industry. The main assets and their role were identified in the formation of competitive advantages of hotel enterprises. The human potential of the hotel business is the main source of competitive advantage and generation of economic rent.The peculiarities of competition within hotel chains in the target market were investigated. It was shown that network organization of hotel business plays a decisive role in the creation, development and control of competencies. Identified and analyzed were the main types and organizational structure of the hotel chains.

The current paper researches and analyses the start and development of the hotel business in Lviv of the interwar period. The main focus is set on the division of accommodation establishments into categories, their structure and location. Much attention is also paid to the description of hotels and their pricing policy depending on their status and venue. Numerous tables help to structure the statistical data, especially their client capacity, number of rooms, location etc.