Tourism in Ukraine

Ukraine used to attract more than 20 million foreign citizens every year (23 million in 2012). But since 2014 this has lowered to about 10 million. Visitors primarily come from Eastern Europe, but also from Western Europe, as well as Turkey and Israel.[1]

Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle, one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine
Tourism in Ukraine
Most Visited Cities in Ukraine
Kyiv
Lviv
Odesa

Before the Russo-Ukrainian War, Ukraine occupied 8th place in Europe by the number of tourists visiting, according to the World Tourism Organization rankings.[2] Ukraine has numerous tourist attractions: mountain ranges suitable for skiing, hiking and fishing: the Black Sea coastline as a popular summer destination; nature reserves of different ecosystems; churches, castle ruins and other architectural and park landmarks; various outdoor activity points. Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa and Kamyanets-Podilskyi were Ukraine's principal tourist centres each offering many historical landmarks as well as formidable hospitality infrastructure. Tourism used to be the mainstay of Crimea's economy, but there was a major fall in visitor numbers following the Russian annexation in 2014.[3]

The Seven Wonders of Ukraine and Seven Natural Wonders of Ukraine are the selection of the most important landmarks of Ukraine, chosen by the general public through an Internet-based vote.

Ukraine is a destination on the crossroads between central and eastern Europe, between north and south. It borders Russia and is not far from Turkey. It has mountain ranges – the Carpathian Mountains suitable for skiing, hiking, fishing and hunting. The coastline on the Black Sea is a popular summer destination for vacationers. Ukraine has vineyards where they produce native wines, ruins of ancient castles, historical parks, Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches as well as a few mosques and synagogues. Kyiv, the country's capital city has many unique structures such as Saint Sophia Cathedral and broad boulevards. There are other cities well known to tourists, such as the harbour town Odesa and the old city of Lviv in the west. Most of Western Ukraine, which used to be within the borders of the Republic of Poland before World War II, is a popular destination for Poles. Crimea, a little "continent" of its own, had been a popular vacation destination for tourists for swimming or sun tanning on the Black Sea with its warm climate, rugged mountains, plateaus and ancient ruins, though the tourist trade has been severely affected by Russia's occupation and annexation of the territory in 2014.[4] Cities there include: Sevastopol and Yalta – location of the peace conference at the end of World War II. Visitors can also take cruise tours by ship on the Dnieper River from Kyiv to the Black Sea coastline. Ukrainian cuisine has a long history and offers a wide variety of original dishes.

The country's tourism industry is generally considered to be underdeveloped, but it does provide crucial support for Ukraine's economy. Ukraine does have certain advantages, including much lower costs than other European destinations, as well as visa-free access for most people from Europe, the former Soviet Union, and North America. Since 2005 citizens of European Union and EFTA, United States, Canada, Japan and South Korea no longer require a visa to visit Ukraine for tourism purposes.[5] Additionally, no visa is required from most countries of the former Soviet Union with the exceptions of Russia and Turkmenistan.

Top 10 countries whose residents provided the most visits to Ukraine (2016)[6]
CountryNumber
Moldova4.3 million
Belarus1.8 million
Russia1.5 million
Hungary1.3 million
Poland1.2 million
Romania0.8 million
Slovakia0.4 million
Israel0.2 million
Turkey0.2 million
Germany0.2 million

Central Ukraine
St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv.

Main cities

  • Kyiv – The historical capital of Kyivan Rus and modern Ukraine on the river Dnipro. Ancient churches, broad boulevards, beautiful landscapes and a variety of cultural facilities make it fascinating destination.
  • Chernihiv – ancient city of Kyivan Rus, one of the oldest cities in Ukraine, has lots of Medieval architecture. Some of the oldest human settlements in Europe have also been discovered in the area.
  • Pereiaslav – "living museum", one of the biggest History and Ethnography Reserve in Ukraine. There are over 20 different museums, city hosts various exhibitions and fairs.
  • Vinnytsia – the largest city in the historic region of Podillia. In Vinnytsia there is the largest floating fountain in Europe, built in the river Southern Bug near Festivalny Isle.
  • Sumy – city's history started in the mid-17th century.
The Bernardine church and monastery in Lviv.

Western Ukraine
Waterfall Zhenets in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
  • Lviv – old city in the west of country, with its medieval old town and unique architecture with Polish and Austrian influences. The top tourist destination in Ukraine, when it comes to architecture and culture.
  • Ivano-Frankivsk – western Ukrainian city that was recognized as the best city to live in Ukraine.[7]
  • Chernivtsi – the capital of Bukovina offers Balkan atmosphere and fine classical Habsburg architecture in Central-European style, as it was part of Austrian empire (prior to 1918).
  • Uzhhorod – the capital of Transcarpathia, one of the oldest cities in Ukraine, attracts tourists because of its proximity to the Carpathian Mountains.
  • Mukacheve
  • Kamianets-Podilskyi
  • Ternopil
  • Lutsk
  • Drohobych
Sharivka Manor, Bohodukhiv Raion Kharkiv Oblast
Livadia Palace in Yalta (Crimean Southern Coast)

Eastern Ukraine
  • Kharkiv – city's history started in the mid-17th century, when the Cossacks created the Sloboda settlements; and since then, the city has turned into one of the largest commercial, cultural and educational centers in Ukraine with a population of over 1.7 million people. From December 1919 to June 1934, Kharkiv was the capital of Soviet Ukraine. The Ukrainian cultural renaissance commenced here in the years 1920–1930.
  • Sviatohirsk and Bakhmut
  • Donetsk
  • Luhansk

Southern Ukraine

Landscapes

Seven Wonders of Ukraine
Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle, 2019

The Seven Wonders of Ukraine are the seven historical and cultural monuments of Ukraine, which were chosen in the Seven Wonders of Ukraine contest held in July 2007.

Seven natural wonders of Ukraine
Tourism in Ukraine

Winners of all Ukraine competition Seven natural wonders of Ukraine:

Recognized World Heritage sites
Main article: List of World Heritage Sites in Ukraine

Medical tourism

Lately many modern dental clinics with high quality dentistry equipment and high quality materials have been established in Ukraine. They provide patients with high quality dentistry services for prices much cheaper in comparison with Western and Russian clinics. Many tourists from United States, European Union and Russia arrive for dental services, providing a sort of dental tourism.

Other popular sorts of medical tourism in Ukraine are soas, eye and plastic surgery, hair transplants, and mud baths.

Truskavets and Myrhorod are well known for their mineral springs.

Religious tourism

Uman is a pilgrimage site for Breslov Hasidic Jews, especially on Rosh Hashana kibbutz.

Events

Festival culture
Thousands of tourists visit the festival of medieval culture "Silver Tatosh" in the castle of Saint-Miklos, Chynadiyovo, Zakarpattia Oblast
Police patrol by bicycles in the tourist area of Lviv

In recent years a variety of festivals emerged in major Ukrainian cities. Among the most popular are international jazz festival in Lviv, street food festival in Kyiv, various summer festivals in Odesa—a popular tourist destination in summer. Many of these festivals take place in former industrial buildings of the Soviet era and are thus helping to rejuvenate these areas.

Type Event Location Season Notes
Film festival Molodist International Film Festival Kyiv April
Film festival Odesa International Film Festival Odesa Second half of July
Food festival Deruny Festival Korosten September
Food festival Lviv Cheese and Wine Festival Lviv October
Humor festival Humorina Odesa April
Arts festival Gogolfest Kyiv September
Music festival Zaxidfest Rodatychi, Lviv region Middle of August
Music festival Fajne Misto Ternopil July
Music festival Alfa Jazz Fest Lviv June
Poetry festival Meridian Czernowitz Chernivtsi September
Music festival Atlas Weekend Kyiv June
Sports festival Hot Air Balloon Festival Kamianets-Podilskyi May
Cultural festival Forpost Fest Kamianets-Podilskyi August
Sports festival Leopolis Grand Prix Lviv June
Cultural festival Book Forum Lviv Lviv September
Cultural festival Etnovyr Lviv August

Trade fairs
City Trade fair Industry Notes
Kyiv AGRO Agriculture
Lviv The Lviv Publishers’ Forum Books
Kyiv Metal-Forum of Ukraine Metal branch
Velyki Sorochyntsi Sorochyntsi Fair Cuisine
Kyiv Jeweller Expo Ukraine Jewellery
Kyiv Kyiv Fashion Clothes and style
Kyiv Upakovka Packaging industry
Kyiv Arms and Security Weapons

Governing body of tourist industry and its chairs
  • Main Directorate of Foreign Tourism (at the Government of the Ukrainian SSR and part of the Soviet Goskominturist)
    • 1964–74 Yosyp Zatyahan
    • 1974–89 Viktor Dobrotvor
  • Ukrintur Association
    • 1989–93 Volodymyr Skrynnyk
  • State Committee of Ukraine on tourism
  • State Department of Tourism (State Committee of Youth Policy, Sport and Tourism)
    • 2001–02 Anatoliy Matviyenko
  • State Tourist Administration of Ukraine
  • State Service of Tourism and Resorts (Ministry of Culture and Tourism)
    • 2005–06 Ihor Prystavskyi
    • 2006–10 Anatoliy Pakhlya
  • State Agency of Ukraine on Tourism and Resorts (Ministry of Infrastructure)
    • 2011–14 Olena Shapovalova
  • Department (Directorate) of Tourism and Resorts (Ministry of Economic Development and Trade)
    • 2016–17 Ivan Liptuha
    • 2018–2019 Oksana Serdyuk
  • State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine (Ministry of Сulture and Іnformation Policy of Ukraine)
    • 2019–present Mariana Oleskiv

Foreign travel statistics

Most visitors arriving to Ukraine were from the following countries of nationality:[8]

Nationality2006200720082009
 Russia6,429,264Increase 7,258,222Increase 7,638,202Decrease 6,964,435
 Poland3,979,453Increase 4,430,140Increase 5,242,980Decrease 2,546,132
 Moldova3,056,433Increase 3,998,674Increase 4,418,821Decrease 4,339,138
 Belarus2,127,250Increase 2,918,694Increase 3,407,064Decrease 2,984,672
 Hungary1,159,711Increase 1,251,724Decrease 1,033,376Decrease 814,790
 Slovakia506,045Increase 664,605Increase 644,918Decrease 537,511
 Romania349,094Increase 1,010,065Increase 1,440,466Decrease 1,077,299
 Germany215,437Increase 325,479Decrease 231,632Decrease 213,995
 United States113,507Increase 132,376Decrease 128,122Decrease 123,001
 Italy63,337Increase 77,054Decrease 70,625Increase 73,737
 Turkey61,892Increase 79,856Decrease 79,438Decrease 60,078
 Azerbaijan59,628Increase 71,112Increase 80,350Decrease 66,996
 United Kingdom56,662Increase 66,132Increase 68,709Decrease 66,851
 Israel53,032Increase 58,932Increase 90,353Decrease 68,303
 Lithuania46,624Increase 52,645Increase 56,991Decrease 48,314
 Uzbekistan45,632Increase 78,074Increase 86,874Increase 96,341
 Czechia45,548Increase 50,415Decrease 43,959Increase 46,646
 Armenia43,561Increase 57,995Decrease 56,050Decrease 53,373
 France42,840Increase 48,160Increase 50,403Decrease 49,810
 Georgia40,240Increase 50,472Increase 53,544Decrease 40,544
 Kazakhstan36,163Increase 54,629Decrease 48,565Decrease 43,524
 Latvia33,582Increase 39,773Increase 44,737Decrease 35,555
 Austria25,765Increase 31,623Decrease 30,044Decrease 27,218
 Netherlands24,886Increase 28,019Increase 30,305Increase 31,548
 Canada23,795Increase 28,485Increase 28,855Increase 31,372
Statelessness17,845Increase 24,747Decrease 23,531Decrease 18,716
 Estonia17,361Increase 19,997Increase 21,094Decrease 16,016
 Bulgaria15,885Increase 16,674Increase 24,588Increase 25,102
 China15,458Increase 17,160Decrease 16,574Decrease 16,137
 Greece14,827Increase 16,107Increase 18,156Decrease 16,377
 Sweden13,926Increase 15,865Increase 16,992Decrease 16,050
 Spain12,589Increase 13,669Increase 14,135Decrease 13,453
  Switzerland12,533Increase 13,243Increase 13,878Decrease 13,266
 Serbia12,281Decrease 10,011Decrease 5,203Decrease 5,065
 Tajikistan11,747Increase 25,149Increase 29,875Decrease 29,463
 Belgium10,323Increase 11,741Increase 12,913Increase 13,455
 Denmark9,655Increase 10,605Increase 10,996Increase 12,697
 Kyrgyzstan7,351Increase 11,122Increase 19,859Increase 20,520
 Japan6,833Increase 6,903Decrease 6,437Decrease 5,439
 India6,821Increase 7,370Decrease 7,262Increase 8,183
 Norway6,689Increase 8,142Increase 8,892Increase 10,712
 Iran6,584Increase 7,483Increase 7,698Increase 8,883
 Finland6,404Increase 7,801Increase 8,298Decrease 7,992
 Australia5,412Increase 6,784Decrease 5,277Decrease 5,224
 Slovenia4,847Increase 6,527Increase 7,570Decrease 5,499
 Syria4,692Increase 6,653Decrease 6,084Decrease 5,290
 Ireland4,635Increase 4,830Increase 5,091Decrease 4,951
 Jordan4,390Increase 5,162Decrease 3,613Increase 5,221
 South Korea3,809Increase 5,151Increase 5,985Decrease 5,374
 Turkmenistan3,475Decrease 3,374Increase 6,039Increase 7,631
Other countries58,472Increase 69,598Decrease 60,5982Increase 69,094
Total18,935,775Increase 23,122,157Increase 25,449,078Decrease 20,798,342
Number of foreign citizens visiting Ukraine (from 2014, excluding Crimea)

Statistics are based on data from the State Statistics Agency of Ukraine.[9]

  • 2000: 6.4 million[9]
  • 2001: 9.2 million[9]
  • 2002: 10.5 million[9]
  • 2003: 12.5 million[9]
  • 2004: 15.6 million[9]
  • 2005: 17.6 million[9]
  • 2006: 18.9 million[9]
  • 2007: 23.1 million[9]
  • 2008: 25.4 million[9]
  • 2009: 20.8 million[9]
  • 2010: 21.2 million[9]
  • 2011: 21.4 million[9]
  • 2012: 23.0 million[9]
  • 2013: 24.7 million[9]
  • 2014: 12.7 million[9]
  • 2015: 12.4 million[9]
  • 2016: 13.3 million[9]
  • 2017: 14.2 million[9]

See also

References
  1. Tourist group, State Statistics Committee of Ukraine
  2. UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, volume 6, UNWTO (June 2008)
  3. Tourism takes a nosedive in Crimea bbc.co.uk, accessed 29 December 2015
  4. Tourism takes a nosedive in Crimea BBC. Retrieved 29 December 2015
  5. Ukrainian Consulate General of Ukraine in New York – Nationalities with no Visa requirements
  6. "Foreign citizens who visited Ukraine in 2016 year,  by countries".
  7. Найкращим українським містом визнано Івано-Франківськ (Ukr.)
  8. Foreign citizens who visited Ukraine by country - State Statistics Service of Ukraine
  9. "Tourist group".
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Ukraine.


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