Monitoring Sustainable Rural Tourism Development in Post-Conflict Areas Using Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis

Abstract

This study examines how rural tourism supports sustainable development, economic recovery, social stability, and cultural preservation in post-conflict regions, using Transcarpathia, Ukraine, as a case study for 2022–2024. It applies a mixed-methods approach combining satellite remote sensing, GIS-based spatial analysis, and socio-economic indicators to assess land-use change, infrastructure recovery, ecological stability, and socio-economic resilience. Unlike existing geospatial monitoring studies that focus on single dimensions (e.g. land cover or tourist flows) in stable environments.  This research introduces a theoretically grounded, multi-dimensional framework that integrates environmental, infrastructural, socio-economic, and digital indicators into a unified composite sustainability index, enabling continuous monitoring where conventional field data collection is constrained. The findings indicate notable recovery and resilience: tourism-related infrastructure rebounded strongly, ecological indicators improved over time, and digital accessibility expanded substantially, supporting tourism development despite ongoing post-conflict challenges. The study offers a novel integrated geospatial framework for monitoring sustainable rural tourism transitions in data-constrained and crisis-affected territories.