Ukraine is recording a gradual recovery in domestic travel, which is aiding its war-battered tourism industry, as the nearly two-year conflict with Russia keeps international visitors away.
Even as the war continues, citizens have started coming back to Ukrainian cities, bringing back a revival in domestic travel
Ukraine is intensifying efforts to promote domestic tourism and drawing up plans to rebuild the sector in preparation for a postwar revival, Mariana Oleskiv, chairperson of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine, told The National on the sidelines of the World Travel and Tourism Council's global summit in Rwanda.
The agency began to promote to Ukrainians the country's western region and other lesser-known travel spots that pose low-risk against Russian attacks as a way of finding relief from the war, supporting their economy and encouraging local businesses.
“The summer of 2022 was very difficult for the tourism industry because we were all in this mode of 'there is a war, it's not a proper time to have rest, we all need to make some effort to win the war' but 2023 became a year where we started … talking to people that they need to rest, go to places to recover with their families and kids far from the air raids,” she said.
“This summer was actually very successful for Ukraine's domestic tourism industry. Of course, all tourism shifted to the western part of Ukraine that is bordering with the EU and is considered to be safe.”
The influx of domestic travellers to the western region helped to uplift “struggling” tourist destinations such as the Carpathian Mountains, ski resorts and national parks, amid a campaign encouraging Ukrainians to discover the lesser-known attractions in smaller towns.
It also allowed “local communities to keep working” and “keep the economy running,” she said.
This summer was actually very successful for Ukraine's domestic tourism industry
Mariana Oleskiv,
chairperson at the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine
The war with Russia that began in February 2022 has decimated Ukraine's tourism sector with the fighting deterring foreign travellers.
In 2019, Ukraine received about 13.7 million international tourists.
As tourism destinations, Russia and Ukraine account for 4 per cent of international tourist arrivals in Europe but only 1 per cent of Europe’s international tourism receipts, according to the UN World Tourism Organisation.
Tourism tax revenue
The majority of Ukrainians have continued to travel locally during the war, with only 21 per cent of citizens opting to remain to avoid dangerous situations, according to a survey by the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine and Unicef U-Report Ukraine.
Since the outbreak of the war, 45 per cent of Ukrainians have travelled around the country for tourism, according to a poll of 5,000 people.
Tax revenue from the tourism industry in the first nine months of 2023 rose by 13 per cent from the same period in 2022, according to the tourism agency.
However, the amount was 18 per cent below revenue earned in the January to September period in 2021, before the war, the data showed.
“From a tourism tax point of view, we're trying to reach the numbers of 2021,” Ms Oleskiv said.
Preparations to rebuild
Ukraine is preparing for the return of foreign visitors after the war to help the country rebuild its ravaged economy faster.
Money from Ukrainian investors is trickling into some tourism attractions in the country “as people believe in the industry and they believe in the return of international tourists”, Ms Oleskiv said.
“Our focus now during the war is to be ready to restart tourism and to be ready to host international tourists as soon as it will be safe and possible to travel to Ukraine again.”
Under consideration are medical tourism options and the development of resorts.
“Now we are more in the planning mode,” she said. However, the priority is for rebuilding critical infrastructure, transportation, particularly railway lines connecting Ukraine to Europe, and energy complexes.
Ukrainian government agencies are also hoping foreign investors consider projects – from airport development to hotel construction – “because we are sure that it will be a big market in the future”, Ms Oleskiv said.
Investment in hard infrastructure, tourism products, destination marketing and human capital are the main areas of focus.
However, bringing back Ukrainians who have left the country or moved to more stable industries to return to work in tourism is a challenge, she said.
Gulf travellers
Tourists and investors from the Middle East are a crucial part of Ukraine's tourism revival plans.
“This is a very important region to us and we had big plans in 2022 with Qatar to build a hospitality university in Ukraine and for them to invest in a couple of hotels,” Ms Oleskiv said.
“Those plans are on hold now for a little bit, but we're sure that this [Gulf] market in terms of tourism and investment is very important for us.
“We have everything in Ukraine that a Gulf tourist needs,” she said, pointing to green landscapes, cooler weather, “attractive” prices and easier visa schemes.
Addressing lessons that tourism-dependent countries gripped by war can apply, Ms Oleskiv said that “keeping domestic tourism at the core” and diversifying offerings will help the industry to survive.
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Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
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%3Cp%3E1.%20Labour%20productivity%20is%20lower%20than%20the%20average%20of%20the%20developed%20economies%2C%20particularly%20in%20the%20non-tradable%20industries.%3Cbr%3E2.%20The%20low%20level%20of%20basic%20skills%20among%20workers%20and%20the%20high%20level%20of%20inequality%20between%20those%20with%20various%20skills.%3Cbr%3E3.%20Low%20employment%20rates%2C%20particularly%20among%20Arab%20women%20and%20Ultra-Othodox%20Jewish%20men.%3Cbr%3E4.%20A%20lack%20of%20basic%20knowledge%20required%20for%20integration%20into%20the%20labour%20force%2C%20due%20to%20the%20lack%20of%20core%20curriculum%20studies%20in%20schools%20for%20Ultra-Othodox%20Jews.%3Cbr%3E5.%20A%20need%20to%20upgrade%20and%20expand%20physical%20infrastructure%2C%20particularly%20mass%20transit%20infrastructure.%3Cbr%3E6.%20The%20poverty%20rate%20at%20more%20than%20double%20the%20OECD%20average.%3Cbr%3E7.%20Population%20growth%20of%20about%202%20per%20cent%20per%20year%2C%20compared%20to%200.6%20per%20cent%20OECD%20average%20posing%20challenge%20for%20fiscal%20policy%20and%20underpinning%20pressure%20on%20education%2C%20health%20care%2C%20welfare%20housing%20and%20physical%20infrastructure%2C%20which%20will%20increase%20in%20the%20coming%20years.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
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Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
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The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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Mr Justice Colton said he was making the temporary direction until a judicial review of the minister's unilateral action this week to order a halt to port checks that are required under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Civil servants have yet to implement the instruction, pending legal clarity on their obligations, and checks are continuing.
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Innocent Witness, June 26 at 7pm
On Your Wedding Day, June 27 at 7pm
The Great Battle, June 27 at 9pm
The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, June 28 at 4pm
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
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Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
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Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh209,000
On sale: now
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
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Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
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Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
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Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
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