Vacation in the middle of the war? Tourism has declined in Ukraine. Travel portals now offer holidays to reconquered areas such as Bucha or Irpin.
Frankfurt/Kiev – hiking in South Tyrol, a beach holiday on the Spanish coast or a city trip through the Ukraine? Anyone planning their vacation for this year will probably not consider the latter option. Ukraine has been at war for more than a year. The tourism industry has to deal with the consequences of the Russian attack. But war attracts people who want to see the scenes with their own eyes. Travel agencies offer opportunities to see the destroyed cities.
“There is a warning against traveling to Ukraine. German nationals are urgently requested to leave the country,” the Foreign Office said on its website. Even without this warning, most people will know that entering Ukraine is dangerous. The war is currently raging primarily in the east, but other cities and areas in Ukraine could also be hit at any time. Arrival is only possible by land, the airspace is closed. In the midst of the chaos there is the travel portal visitukraine.todaywhich offers excursions to so-called “brave cities”.
Holidays in the Ukraine: Travel portals advertise city trips to recaptured cities
This includes cities like Bucha or Irpin, which are marked by war. A trip there is currently being offered to politicians, diplomats and journalists. In August 2022, visitukraine.today announced that such tours would also be made possible for other people. In the future, “Tourists from all parts of the world […] will be able to see with their own eyes what happened in the destroyed cities of Ukraine,” said Anton Taranenko, CEO of the travel portal, in a statement.
“We must inform the world community about the tragic events that have unfortunately happened in the civilized world of the 21st century,” Taranenko continued. The income from these tours will be used to rebuild the cities and will also benefit Ukrainian refugees. However, the tourism business is not welcomed by the state. “We do not support this type of tourism,” said the head of the State Agency for Tourism Development (SATD), Mariana Oleskiv n-tv.de.
Vacation in war zone: Tourists can book “war risk insurance” for Ukraine trip
From skiing to spa holidays, the travel agency offers almost everything. Nevertheless, tourists also need to prepare specifically for visiting Ukraine. For example, an air alert that can be announced by a special app. The chosen hotel should ideally be located near an air raid shelter. The curfews must also be observed. The Visit Ukraine website also offers war risk insurance and shares a link to the Ukrainian Foreign Legion, which foreigners can join to fight for Ukraine.
Sea n-tv.de there are supposed to be rumors about foreign war tourists. But Oleskiv said that this form of tourism is hardly possible due to the extensive controls. You don’t know anything. “I want to emphasize that safety is the most important thing. As a government agency, we do not recommend foreigners to visit any of Ukraine’s tourist destinations when a war is ongoing,” she said. “However, we recommend putting Ukraine on your future travel list because it is a beautiful country that was very safe until Russia started this war,” added the SATD chair.
Holidays in Ukraine: State authorities recommend holidays only after the war
Travel to war zones is also an ethical issue. “Such trips are initially tricky because they require a great deal of tact on the part of the providers,” said Harald Friedl from the FH Joanneum, who deals with ethics in tourism Editorial Network Germany. “It’s about how sensitive and skilled a company is and how it can influence a local group.” There is a fine line between the abuse of locals through ostentation and the financial gain that tourism brings. “It is important not to take pleasure in the suffering of others, in the personal tragedy,” Friedl continued.
In the west of the country there are also said to be foreign tourists, as Oleskiv said. In 2022, more than two million foreigners are said to have crossed the border into Ukraine. But these are not the typical tourists, as Oleskiv explained. “Many politicians, volunteers and representatives of international organizations travel to Ukraine. Some people come for business or medical treatment. I saw a few foreigners in the ski resorts,” Oleskiv said. She believes that after Ukraine’s victory, millions of tourists will travel to Ukraine. (vk)
