Table of Contents:
Tourism in Ukraine is regaining its momentum. Recent data from the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine confirms this positive trend. Within just nine months, local businesses have contributed 234 million UAH in tourism tax — an increase of 36% from last year and 1.5 times higher than before the full-scale invasion.
The summer season alone brought over 91 million UAH to local budgets, marking a record high for the wartime period.
Kyiv remains the national leader in tourism revenue, followed by Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. The capital itself generated 51 million UAH; 81% of this amount came from large businesses.
How the War Changed Ukraine’s Tourism Landscape
Before the war, Ukraine was a vibrant destination with a growing international presence. In 2019, tourism contributed over 6% to the national GDP and supported nearly 7% of all jobs. Visitors from across Europe, North America, and Asia enjoyed visa-free access, making travel to Ukraine smooth and affordable.
The country offered everything — the Carpathian Mountains for hiking and skiing, the Black Sea coast for summer relaxation, and a wealth of historical and cultural landmarks in cities like Kyiv, Lviv, and Odesa. Ukraine’s hospitality scene was flourishing, with new boutique hotels, creative hubs, and culinary experiences.
Then came the devastation.
The full-scale invasion brought Ukraine’s tourism sector to a near standstill. The hospitality market collapsed by almost 90% within the first months, and thousands of cultural sites were damaged or destroyed.
By early 2024, UNESCO estimated around $3.5 billion in physical damage to Ukraine’s culture and tourism sector, including heritage sites, art collections, and visitor facilities — a total of 4,779 cultural and tourist assets reported as damaged by Ukrainian authorities.
The Kharkiv region suffered the most, followed by Donetsk and Odesa. Kyiv also faced immense financial losses — estimated at over $10 billion in missed tourism and cultural revenue — as international visits dropped dramatically and many creative businesses temporarily closed.
Even today, only about one in five hotels is fully operational, most of them located in the safer western regions like Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Zakarpattia, where curfews and security measures remain part of daily life.
How Local Businesses Keep Ukrainian Tourism Alive
The current recovery owes much to small, passionate entrepreneurs. Nearly half of the tourism tax now comes from family-run guesthouses, apartments, cafés, and private guides — people who decided to keep working, no matter the odds.
Big hotels and resorts still contribute over 50% of all tourism revenue, but it’s the independent hosts and local guides who embody the true resilience of Ukrainian tourism. They are the faces that welcome guests, restore trust, and create meaningful connections.
As a private Kyiv tour guide, I’ve seen travelers’ genuine curiosity and compassion. Many visitors tell me, “We wanted to support Ukrainians directly.” Every tour they take, every meal they enjoy in a local restaurant, helps families and keeps communities alive.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, I’ve been receiving messages and requests from people around the world: writers, volunteers, journalists, and creators, who want to come to Ukraine and understand what life is really like here.
Some of them are authors working on novels set during the current invasion, trying to understand the emotions, the daily life, and the resilience of Ukrainians. I’ve personally worked with two such writers — both of whom create fiction featuring Ukrainian characters living through the Russian invasion.
One of the writers, Katherine Davies, booked my three-hour tour of Kyiv. Afterward, we sat together in a small café, talking for nearly an hour as I answered her questions so she could capture the city’s story truthfully for her readers.
How much guiding in Kyiv has changed since the full-scale invasion is best reflected in the heartfelt review Katherine later wrote about this tour.
Exceptional guide
March 2024
❝ – We managed a 3-hour private morning tour of Kyiv, without sirens (without need to retreat to a bunker). For work, I needed to walk the streets of the historic center with someone with deep knowledge of Ukrainian history and culture to bring to life what I had learned remotely. Victoria was outstanding. A very experienced professional guide, well-informed, and delightful company. Ready to pivot and adapt, to answer a range of questions, and to make recommendations for after the tour (what to visit, read, etc). Highly recommend this service. First rate. Slava Ukraini. – ❝
Reasons to Visit Ukraine
I’ve also received requests from people who come to Ukraine as volunteers — many with personal military experience — eager to share their knowledge, train others, or take part in humanitarian efforts.
Some fundraise abroad and arrive with aid for specific military units or medical organizations they support. Others come as journalists or YouTubers, documenting what they see in Kyiv and beyond to show the world how life continues here.
Each traveler’s story is different, but they all share one thing in common — they are not indifferent. They come because they care, because they understand the importance of standing with Ukraine and its people.
Domestic Travel Leading the Way
Recent Kyiv tourism news reflects the same national trend — a steady recovery driven by local travel. Ukrainians have rediscovered their own country. Families now explore regions they once overlooked — the Carpathians and the coastal city of Odesa, where 90% of summer visitors this year were domestic tourists.
Odesa collected over 9 million UAH in tourism tax — up 25% from last year — and Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk also showed strong growth. The main reason for the rise in travel to Western Ukraine is that these regions remain relatively safer, being the farthest from Russian missile and drone attacks.
Kyiv, too, has found its rhythm again. Locals now join city walking tours and visit museums. There’s a new sense of pride in discovering one’s own culture, something deeply moving to witness as a local Kyiv tour guide.
Tourism in Ukraine has always been about more than hotels and landmarks. It’s about connection — the warmth of people, the taste of local food, the creativity of artisans.
When you book a private Kyiv tour, stay in a local apartment, or buy handmade souvenirs, you contribute directly to rebuilding the economy. The growth in tourism tax means more funds for communities to restore infrastructure, renovate parks, and preserve heritage sites.
Traveling to Ukraine in Wartime
More and more travelers are coming to Ukraine — and to Kyiv — not out of curiosity alone. They come to witness the strength and resilience of Ukrainians who keep living, working, even as missile and drone attacks remain a constant threat. For many, the question is no longer why visit Ukraine, but how can we not?
Those who visit understand the risks and make their choice consciously. No one tempts them with promises of safety. Many ask, “Is it safe to go to Kyiv?” The honest answer is that no, Ukraine cannot be considered safe to visit right now.
All major international authorities — including the governments of the EU, the United States, the United Kingdom, and others — advise their citizens to avoid travel to Ukraine due to the ongoing full-scale war.
How Travelers Reach Ukraine Today
The journey to Ukraine itself has changed. With the airspace closed, reaching the country now takes much longer than before. Travelers usually first fly to one of Ukraine’s neighboring countries in the west — such as Poland, Hungary, Moldova, or Romania.
Then continue by train, a journey that can take 13–15 hours on average, including night stops at the border for customs control. Some choose to travel by bus, which is often even longer and more exhausting. At least on the train, you can lie down, rest, and use basic amenities, comforts that long bus rides rarely provide.
Many Ukrainians who temporarily live abroad under protection programs in the EU, the UK, or the US also come to visit their families, their husbands and fathers, or simply to reconnect with home.
Throughout it all, Ukrainian Railways has shown extraordinary professionalism and resilience, operating non-stop since the first days of the war. Its workers, often under threat themselves, continue to keep the country connected — a lifeline for millions.
Ukraine’s tourism story today is one of resilience and renewal. Tourism is no longer just about sightseeing; it’s about solidarity. Every traveler who comes to Ukraine contributes to its healing and its future.
Thank you for your solidarity and for standing with Ukraine.
About the author:
Hello and welcome! My name is Victoria, and I’m a private tour guide in Kyiv. Since 2016, I have been offering private tours on various topics for visitors to the capital of Ukraine. I love sharing stories. When not guiding, I write about Ukraine on my blog and my travel experiences and insights in Sweden and the Baltics.