Background

Sustainable rural development has attracted substantial interest in recent years, stimulated by several EC programmes and initiatives. However it has been widely accepted that to inspire and manage rural development under the principle of sustainability is a demanding task, which calls for a high level of awareness and special skills from those that “lead” the development process. This has been the remit on which the Euracademy Association has been established as a non-governmental, membership association of pan-European coverage, devoted to capacity building of people and institutions for sustainable rural development.

The Euracademy Association has already developed and implemented four capacity building packages for managers and animators of rural development on different themes (see www.euracademy.org). One of these packages, which concerns Sustainable Rural Tourism, is being applied in Ukraine presently, addressed to “leaders” of rural development.

A recent report, produced by the Kyiv Centre of the Eurasia Foundation, on “Rural Tourism Sector in Ukraine: Current Status and Prospects for Future Development”, argues that rural tourism in Ukraine is in its initial stage of development and generally tourist services are of rather unsatisfactory quality. However, the natural and cultural assets of Ukraine offer a fertile ground for the development of rural tourism, which would be beneficial for the economy of rural areas and crucial for the viability of farms and other small enterprises. The report also points out that Civil Society organisations, in particular, play a pivotal role in the development of rural tourism in Ukraine and emphasises the need for skills improvement and technical support within these organisations as well as in local government institutions.

This situation provides the context for developing further the training package on the theme of sustainable rural tourism, expanding it and adjusting it to the particular conditions of the Ukrainian state, so that it can be used for skill development, animation of local initiatives and networking between public, private and civil society organisations in the field of tourism. The Euracademy Association is leading this task, in cooperation with the Carpathian Foundation, Ukraine Office and with the assistance of the National Association of Regional Development Agencies in Kyiv and other relevant national bodies.