A growing sector

The Day knows that Ukraine has an enormous recreational potential, and if only there was as much attention paid to the development of tourism in our country as it is done in, for example, Turkey, Slovakia, or Montenegro, it could rival metallurgy as an economic sector. That is why we asked Anatolii Pakhlia, head of the State Department of Tourism and Health Resorts of Ukraine, a question: is it possible that the development of Ukrainian tourism will become a priority, is the government going to implement programs for the development of this sphere before the Euro-2012? We received a letter answering some of our questions from his deputy Serhii SIOMKIN.

Would you please name the priorities for the development of Ukrainian tourism?

“Development of tourism and health resorts is recognized by the state as one of the high priority tasks, in particular regarding domestic and inbound tourism. The modern tourism industry is one of the most profitable and dynamic sectors of the global economy. At present over 260 million people are involved in this sector, that is every tenth employee worldwide. We should note that this kind of activity has a multiplier effect — the creation of one position in the sphere of tourism creates two positions in associated spheres, while an increase in direct profits makes the state’s indirect profits go up by three times. Tourism is responsible for ten percent of the world’s GDP, seven percent of all the investments, 11 percent of world’s consumer expenses, five percent of all tax incomes, and a third of the world’s service trade.

“Tourism affects over 40 sectors of Ukraine’s economy and nearly 10-15 percent of its population.

“Unique recreational, cultural and historical resources, and the positive dynamics of performance indicators of businesses operating in this sector — travel agencies, hotels, sanatoriums, and health resorts, constitute the basis for working out strategies for the development of tourism and recreation.

“The sector includes over 100 health resorts and public resorts, eight national natural parks, four biosphere preserves, dendroparks [tree parks], numerous monuments of landscape architecture, and special wildlife preserves. Over 160 thousand of monuments of history, culture, and architecture are under state protection. At present the work of the State Tourism and Health Resort Service of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is aimed at the implementation of state policy on tourism and health resorts, securing the legislative regulation for tourism enterprises, consumer protection, and getting the hotel and tourism infrastructure ready for the Euro-2012.

“Ukraine’s regions have great recreational potential, rich natural and ethnocultural resource bases. This creates the conditions for wider recreational use. A mild climate, picturesque landscapes, and an interesting historical and cultural heritage could ensure the successful development of nearly all types of tourism in Ukraine’s rural areas.

“Some regions of Ukraine have already defined certain kinds of tourism with good development potential. The Carpathian region, Polissia, Podillia, the Dnipro region, and southern Ukraine all prefer rural tourism.”

How will the state support rural tourism in the nearest future?

“For the citizens of Ukraine’s rural regions the best stimulus would be one that encourages the development of other kinds of activity and improves living standards. This, in turn, would lead to higher employment among rural residents. Moreover, the organization of recreational services by village communities improves public services and amenities in rural areas, creates additional income filling local budgets, and provides better prospects for future development.”

What about the organization of private tourist services? Which regions stand out the most in this regard?

“In the past few years in Ukraine some regions clearly stood out as leaders in the development of rural tourism, namely:

The western region — Volyn oblast (one farm), Zakarpattia oblast (24 farms), Ivano-Frankivsk oblast (seven farms), Lviv oblast (two farms), Ternopil oblast (two farms), Khmelnytsky oblast (two farms), and Chernivtsi oblast (four farms);

The southern region — Crimea (two farms), Mykolaiv oblast (one farm), and Odesa oblast (four farms);

The central and northern regions—Vinnytsia oblast (25 farms), Kyiv oblast (13 farms), Poltava oblast (two farms), Kharkiv oblast (one farm), Cherkasy oblast (eight farms), Chernihiv oblast (three farms), and Kirovohrad oblast (one farm).

“The information provided reflects the official statistics of the Green Tourism Union of Ukraine. These are the farms that wanted to be officially registered in a farm catalog, and to be classified by the Green Tourism Union of Ukraine. At the same time, according to unofficial information, the number of farms that provide rural tourism services is much bigger and is estimated at nearly 1,500. According to operational data of the State Tourism and Health Resort Service, rural tourism was very popular among Ukrainians in 2010.

“In order to fix this situation (bring rural tourism out of the shadows), as well as to encourage individual farms to engage in rural tourism and to foster entrepreneurial initiatives, the Ministry of Agricultural Policy drafted, with the participation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Law of Ukraine ‘On Rural Tourism and Rural Tourism Activity,’ and the Law of Ukraine ‘On Amending the Law of Ukraine ‘On Individual Peasant Farms.”

“For this period, in order to fulfill the Cabinet of Ministers’ Resolution No.121-r of February 3, 2010 ‘On the Adoption of the Conception for the State Target Program for Sustained Development of Rural Territories until 2020,’ a draft State Target Program for Sustained Development of Rural Territories until 2020 is being worked out. One of the priorities of this program is the development of rural tourism.

“The Ministry of Culture and Tourism is actively cooperating with Ukraine’s Green Tourism Union, which collects and accumulates data from various regions, holds conferences and thematic exhibitions in order to popularize rural tourism, helps develop village infrastructure and boost employment, promotes respect for the beauty of our land and its hospitable residents, and preserves the existing cultural and historical heritage of the Ukrainian people. On its initiative rural tourism centers have been set up and are now successfully operating in most Ukrainian oblasts.

“Moreover, the development of rural tourism in Ukraine is supported by special programs of the International Renaissance Foundation, Eurasia Foundation, European Federation of Farm and Village Tourism Eurogites, and others.

“Village tourism is useful for both the tourists and the hosts — peasants, village communities, regions, and the country in general. It facilitates the development of many analogous sectors of the economy. It also helps preserve peasantry as the carrier of Ukrainian identity, culture, and spirituality. It will open up additional opportunities to popularize Ukrainian culture, spread knowledge and information about the historical, natural, and ethnographic features of Ukraine, which is something that deserves to be supported by the state in every way possible.”

How will the state facilitate the improvement of infrastructure (roads, waste management, etc.) in regions where tourism is developing?

“The priorities of state policy on the development of rural tourism in 2010 and the following years are as follows:

To carry out measures complying with state support for the development of rural tourism in 2006–10, as approved by Cabinet of Ministers’ Regulation No.373-r of July 3, 2006.

To pass the draft Law of Ukraine ‘On Rural Tourism and Rural Tourism Activity.’

To develop a national standard for providing rural tourism services.

To provide informational and promotional support to develop rural tourism.

“These measures will make it possible to create all the necessary conditions for the sustained development of rural tourism and an improvement of everyday living conditions, and opportunities for self-employment among the rural population.

“Ukraine is rich in various natural and recreational resources and has numerous monuments that reflect its centuries-old history and culture. Ukraine’s historical-cultural heritage is among the most valuable thing that the Ukrainian people have. It combines the country’s best achievements and is the golden treasure of our people.

“Excursions play a great role in the process of involving every individual, and society in general, in a system of universal human and ethnic-national values, collective historical memory, and the social experience of previous generations.

“Excursions as a component of education have a nearly 100-year-old history. They rouse tourists’ interest in a particular country and its historical, cultural, and natural monuments. As an effective form of acquainting oneself with outstanding specimens of the past and the present, excursions are also an important patriotic tool, because they teach one to love and respect one’s motherland, and its history and culture. This is how foreign tourists discover Ukraine’s ancient and glorious history, its prominent culture, and its unique folk traditions.

“Tourist companies in Ukraine develop and offer routes taking into account the various interests and tastes of tourists.

“Ukraine’s rich historical and cultural heritage enjoys great and justified popularity among Ukrainian and foreign tourists.”

How did the economic crisis affect the development of the tourism sector in Ukraine?

“The statistical data for 2009, and the operational data for the first six months of 2010, shows that the volume of domestic and foreign tourism is slightly falling, but nearly all developed European countries have found themselves in this situation.”