Chornobyl Phenomenon: Catastrophe, Experimental Area vs Curiousity Object

Abstract

The article is devoted to a qualitative thematic study of the Chernobyl phenomenon as a holistic phenomenon that combines a number of manifestations: from objects of direct visual perception to legends and myths about events, processes and Chernobyl in general. The integrity of the image of the Chornobyl zone makes the Exclusion Zone an attractive tourist destination, especially for those who is interested in gaining such experience. At the same time, using the method of thematic research and based on statistics, the Chernobyl phenomenon is considered in its real context and as a kind of indirect means to determinethe level of interest of citizens of different countries in Ukraine (as a carrier of unique culture, history and world events). The results of the article are a contextual analysis of the phenomenon of Chernobyl as a tourist destination. Resource opportunities of nuclear tourism in the Chornobyl zone are analyzed. Methodological qualitative case study of the Chernobyl phenomenon includes accounting and description of tourist resources of Nature and resources of cultural identity of the cities of Pripyat, Chernobyl (with adjoining territories), which are cultural artifacts and are elements of the nuclear heritage of Ukraine, and can be included and presented in tourist routes. The contextual analysis of this study concerned the consideration and processing of data on the Chornobyl zone as a holistic phenomenon, from cartographic, textual documents, comparative analysis data of visitor loyalty, partial mathematical and statistical analysis of tourist attendance data. This case study is an approach to a comprehensive study of the phenomenon in the context of its actual existence using a variety of data sources. It is this comprehensiveness in the study of the phenomenon that ensures that the object is viewed from different angles, which allows you to reveal and understand all aspects of the phenomenon. The article reveals the main components of the Chernobyl phenomenon, mentions key tourist attractions that have their own history and shrouded in prophecies, legends and myths, as well as analyzes the tourist attendance of this destination by different categories of tourists, indicating significant interest in this territory.