Kuvika G. Organizational and Economic Foundations of restoring for the Competitiveness of Ukraine’s Hospitality Sector

The dissertation substantiates the essence of the hospitality sector as a complex multifunctional socio-ecological economic system that combines a set of activities designed to satisfy various individual and social tourist and recreational and related needs, which ensures an increase in the quality of life and economic development. The structure of the hospitality sector is substantiated, including public catering, tourism, recreation, resort and sanatorium, hotel, and transport activities that provide direct and immediate contact with their clients and business partners. The role and specific functions of each component are determined. For the first time, the conceptual principles of restoring the competitiveness of the hospitality sector have been substantiated, which consist of applying a multidisciplinary approach that combines economic, environmental, and social aspects in the processes of returning or increasing the ability of the hospitality sector in general and the institutions that form it, in particular, to successfully compete in the market after a period of recession or crisis, by creating new or improving existing products and services, adapting and modernizing business models to ensure their compliance with new competitive conditions and modern economic trends of the experience economy, digital and behavioral economy, inclusive and sustainable development. The strategic result of restoring the competitiveness of the hospitality sector is competitive advantages as specific characteristics, resources, and conditions that provide an advantage in attracting tourists and investors and developing local businesses in the hospitality sector. Methodological approaches to the analysis of components and assessment of the competitiveness of the hospitality sector have been further developed, which, unlike the existing ones, involve the use of a combined approach with a two-level model for determining the integral index of competitive advantages and the competitiveness index, which makes it possible to comprehensively assess the prerequisites for the restoration of competitiveness, determine the level of competitive advantages and competitiveness of the regions of Ukraine, group them by the level of competitive advantages in terms of each component and in general, and determine the appropriate strategies and directions for restoring competitiveness. Competitiveness was assessed based on data on tourist flows of domestic and foreign tourists, which we consider as an indicator of the competitiveness of the hospitality sector. Competitive advantages of the regions of Ukraine were identified based on 2020 data. Regions were positioned in the coordinates "Level of competitive advantages" / "Level of competitive ability". Identifies the competitive advantages of the hospitality sector in Ukraine in the context of modern development trends, which are digital transformation and innovation in hospitality; environmental sustainability and green initiatives; personalization and individuality of service; globalization and expansion of geographical coverage; increasing demand for alternative housing; focus on the health and well-being of guests; the experience economy; changing consumer approach; safety and hygiene; development of the concept of «hotel as a place of social meetings». These trends are used as the basis for a matrix of sources of competitive advantages, which ensures the identification of strategic competitive advantages corresponding to each basic concept of hospitality. Combined strategy sets have been developed, including the following strategies: Level I as a market positioning strategy (globalization, deep market penetration, adaptation, forward development); Level II as strategic directions for ensuring competitive advantages (creation of new competitive advantages, increasing competitive advantages, maintaining a competitive position, restoring lost competitive advantages); Level III as typical competitive strategies (diversification, differentiation, focus, specialization, cost leadership), based on which a matrix of positioning competitive strategies has been developed by global trends in the development of the hospitality industry. Sets of alternative strategies are identified in the coordinates «Level of competitive advantages» / «Level of competitiveness», according to which the regions of Ukraine are grouped and the specifics of the implementation of each of the sets are substantiated. The work substantiates the substantive content of the organizational and economic mechanism for restoring the competitiveness of the hospitality sector as a set of interconnected managerial, economic, technological and social tools and methods that act synchronously to achieve the strategic goal of restoring and strengthening competitive advantages and ensuring an acceptable level of competitiveness, taking into account internal resources and external influences.