EBRD, EU elaborate recommendations to mitigate coronavirus crisis impact on Ukrainian tourism

“Following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the tourism and hospitality industry across the world is expecting more than a billion tourists to cancel their holiday plans, leading to an 80 per cent drop compared with 2019. In response, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU) have teamed up to offer emergency support and recommendations for Ukraine’s tourism industry, which has also been badly affected by the pandemic,” reads the press release.

The report provides an overview of Covid-19 mitigation measures to be considered by the Ukrainian authorities, business and proposed by professional associations. It also recommends further steps needed in order to put tourism on the path to recovery. These include an anti-crisis plan for 2020, a reorganised roadmap, an awareness campaign and suggestions on capital investment requirements and new tourist products development.

The report entitled Covid-19 pandemic and its effects on the Ukrainian tourism sector was presented online to industry professionals, regulators, relevant authorities and stakeholders. It updates the original tourism roadmap unveiled in Ukraine in November 2019 and is designed to unleash the country’s potential in the sector.

“Ukraine is the first economy in which the EBRD invests where there has been such systemic sector analysis related to a specific industry. It is expected that the approach will be introduced in other countries too, drawing on experiences in Ukraine,” the press release reads.

The EBRD is the largest international financial investor in Ukraine. To date, the Bank has made a cumulative commitment of almost €15 billion through 466 projects in the country.

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