«Сентиментальный» («Ностальгический») Культурный Туризм В Устойчивом Развитии (На Примере Западной Украины)

In today's world the general idea has arisen that tourism management should stand in accord with the sustainable development which is one of the priorities of the territorial policy of the European Union. This concept has been reflected in numerous European documents, which emphasize the necessity for the reinforcement of the regional identity and for the preservation of natural and cultural heritage. The main assumption of hereby article is the concept that tourism is one of the main modern anthropogenic factors, affecting the natural environment . The author notices that the „sentimental” tourism has remained stable for many years now. Such an approach to „sentimental” tourism shows the potential for the development especially in the case of Polish tourists to Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania, as these directions are connected with the territories previously inhabited by Poles, who left huge cultural and natural heritage behind. The aim of the article is to explore the topic of „sentimental” tourism in the context of sustainable development. This type of tourism is connected with trips directed towards searching the places for sightseeing, including the objects of tradition and history such as castles, churches, graveyards, mansions, statues and others. They all constitute the feeling of cultural identity. „Sentimental” tourism is important due to the fact that it evokes childhood memories and they convey the same meaning as they used to in the times of glory. The visitors possess various interests. Some are in search for the historical places, some others with those connected with literature, still others look for the places associated with their ancestors. Therefore it is so important to maintain these objects untouched in character which lingers in the consciousness of Polish visitors. „Sentimental” tourism also gives rise to the economic development of the region, ensuring work places for many tourist oriented services such as tourist information centres, historical monuments and buildings restoration and conservation institutions. It also contributes to the development of agriculture in the context of sustainability.