Small Carpathian Circle as the most significant infrastructure project in western Ukraine

Purpose: the main purpose of this paper is to analyse the new infrastructure project in western Ukraine, show its main characteristics and to forecast how it will improve the socio-economic life of this region and how it will rise tourist flows in cross-border territories. Design/methodology/approach: The Small Carpathian Circle was chosen as it is the biggest infrastructure project in western Ukraine that covers three oblast (regions) of Ukraine and will have a cross-border impact. Literature sources, statistical information and estimates data used in this paper were gathered from various international and Ukrainian official sources and websites. Personal knowledge about Carpathian region was also used as the author comes from Lviv oblast of Ukraine. Findings: the outcome of this paper is that the Small Carpathian Circle has to be implemented in the nearest future in order to provide the efficient mobility in Carpathian region of Ukraine on the basis of sustainable development. The main reasons for its slow implementation in 2022 were highlighted. Originality/value: it is the first research paper about the Small Carpathian Circle, as it wasn’t analysed properly by scientists yet. It is addressed to a scientific circle, politicians, investors, international organisations and all people interested in Carpathian region development.