The purpose of the study is to explore the challenges of defining what is commonly
known as “ethnic tourism”. Provided here a review, comparison, integration and systematization
of the definitions of the phenomenon, its facets and characteristics. In particular, such variations
as sentimental tourism, ethnic tourism, nostalgic tourism, diaspora tourism, genealogy tourism,
are ancestral tourism subjected to a comparative analysis. The study is based on a systemic
literature review and qualitative and frequency analysis of the definitions of the phenomenon.
The literature search was not limited to publications by Ukrainian authors, but included Polish
and Russian available relevant literature on the topic. Offered a new definition of ethnic tourism
and other definition connected with ethnic aspects. The lack of clear definitions and differences
in understanding significantly impeding the development of his area of tourism. This study
gives rise to more function in operation of this type of tourism in theory and practice
