Ecological tourism as a direction of local science research in nature protection territories

The purpose of the proposed article is to determine the peculiarities of ecological tourism and to show that this type of tourism is an important area of local history research conducted by scientists, including in nature conservation areas. The methodology is based on the application of such scientific methods as literary, historical, chronological, dichronic (periodization method), systematic approach, event and content analysis. Analysis methods were also used - for the study of individual components of ecological tourism; synthesis - for systematization and unification of facts; a statistical method for processing the statistical data available today; the method of induction and deduction, which ensured the possibility to draw conclusions based on existing facts, as well as the method of a systematic approach. The authors proposed to define ecological tourism as an actual direction of local studies. It has been determined that scientists who plan local history research implement it through tourist hikes and trips to nature conservation areas with available natural resources. It is emphasized that such scientific and practical activity is aimed at forming an ecological outlook and obtaining economic benefits, during which the negative impact on nature is deliberately minimized through the rational organization of routes, and also realizes the cognitive and educational functions of ecotourism. Conclusions. The processes of origin and development of ecological tourism in Ukraine and the world are highlighted.