Cultural values as the basis for the tourist route development

Cultural values are an important resource for the tourist route development. They ensure not only economic growth, but also contribute to the preservation of historical and cultural heritage. In this regard, this article aims at researching approaches to the development of tourist routes and assessing their impact on the sustainable development of territories in the context of the increasing global attractiveness of the tourism industry. The author emphasizes the analysis of the economic consequences of integrating cultural heritage sites into the tourism sector, as well as their importance for attracting international visitors. The conducted research has shown that the tourist route formation based on cultural heritage requires an integrated approach including an assessment of the historical and aesthetic object signifi cance and their economic validity analysis. This study reveals that the development of tourist routes based on the use of cultural heritage sites makes a signifi cant contribution to increasing the attraction of capital investments as well as the number of available jobs and the need for services in related sectors of the economy, such as the transport sector and the hospitality industry. To ensure a sustainable and long-lasting positive effect, it is necessary to focus not only on achieving economic results in the short term, but also on solving problems related to maintaining the integrity and preservation of cultural heritage. In this context the need to prevent excessive commercialization, which can negatively affect the authenticity and historical and cultural value of objects, is particularly important. Excessive profi t-seeking can undermine the uniqueness of these attractions, which in turn reduces their attractiveness to tourists and their long-term importance to society. Based on the analysis, the author developed proposals to improve approaches to the tourist route formation. The proposed recommendations are aimed at improving the effectiveness of the routes being developed as a tool for economic growth and strengthening the socio-economic situation of the regions. It is particularly proposed to introduce comprehensive measures, including balanced use of resources, consideration of local characteristics and integration of the principles of sustainable development. The data obtained confi rm that cultural values can become the basis of unique tourist products, ensuring a balance between commercial benefi ts and heritage preservation.