Tourism infrastructure as a basis for the involvement of intangible cultural heritage in tourism and hospitality industry

The article discusses the concept and essence of the intangible heritage as a part of national culture and an important part of tourism resources. The role and significance of intangible cultural heritage in the field of tourism is increasing in importance. Development of tourism and its particular types depends on the degree of involvement of the intangible cultural heritage. The article describes the conditions for the inclusion of intangible heritage in the tourist circuit, expands and clarifies concept of tourism infrastructure through inclusion of non-material component. The authors propose to consider tourism infrastructure as a set of inter-related structures, including tangible and intangible components, which provide tourist activities. The degree of development of tourist infrastructure affects the competitiveness of the tourist destinations. The article describes the composition of tourism infrastructure, which includes general and specific infrastructure. The authors offers to include in specific tourist infrastructure intangible cultural heritage as an essential element in providing such kinds of tourism as an ethnic, historical, religious, and others. The unique tourist infrastructure, ensuring the involvement of the intangible cultural heritage in tourist turnover, should include a variety of electronic catalogs of the intangible heritage. The article shows that the involvement of intangible cultural heritage in tourism provides its actualization and safety, increases the competitiveness of the tourist destinations, highlighting its specific features, contributes to a more active involvement of local people in tour-ism and growth its loyalty to the tourist activity. Active inclusion of intangible cultural heritage in the sphere of tourism should be the driver of economic development for tourism regions.