DEVELOPMENT OF THE POTENTIAL OF VITICULTURE AND WINE TOURISM IN ATU GAGAUZIA

Formulation of the problem. Winemaking in ATU Gagauzia is a strategic industry. The share of wine-making in the total industrial production of ATU Gagauzia is 60 per cent. The wine-making potential is represented by 16 wine-making enterprises. However, not all of them are ready to accept tourists and develop wine tourism. Setting the task, the purpose of the study. The study aimed to identify the heritage of wine tourism in the ATU Gagauzia, with the main aim of elaborating development strategies for the wine tourism potential and ensuring a sustainable regional development. Presentation of the main material (results of work). Viticulture and wine tourism (enotourism) is currently a promising and profitable direction for the development of rural tourism in rural areas. It includes not only learning the technology of growing grapes, wine production, but also learning the history, culture, and traditions of the region. The wine tourism, as part of rural tourism, directly contributes to the development of regional economic. In the EU policy, the development of enotourism plays an important role in the development of wine-makers services and employment growth in rural areas. Factors contributing to the development of wine tourism in ATU Gagauzia are: a special combination of climatic and soil conditions creates a favorable terroir for winemaking; high industry concentration of production and a wide assortment line of wine products; availability of development potential associated with viticulture and viniculture tourism: rural, environmental, gastronomic and ethnographic. Conclusions. There are three main strategic goals of development of the potential of viticulture and wine tourism in atu Gagauzia: development of tourist destinations of Gagauzia based on active wineries; formation of attractions (hotel and restaurant business, museums, folk crafts, concert organizations, and theater) around "zones of attraction" - wineries; promoting the emergence and development of network interaction of the main players of tourism development.