Due to imposition of martial law in a number of regions of Ukraine today, journalists have repeatedly called with questions, such as how it will affect tourism ...
I think that especially while it will not affect.
For international tourism, modern hybrid wars and terrorism are already commonplace. No country and no city today can claim the status of a 100% safe destination. Every day something happens somewhere. It might occur not only in Egypt, Turkey or Israel, but also in the center of France, Belgium or Germany. But at the same time in all these and other countries, the growth of tourism continues. People do not stop living and traveling. Military political conflicts and terrorism do not change the global trend towards sustainable tourism growth. Last year’s tourism growth in the world was 8%.
There is a natural connection between the concepts of tourism, peace and security. On the one hand, the very existence of tourism depends on peace and security, on the other hand, the transformative power of tourism, based on the billions of meetings that take place every day, opens the way to dialogue, understanding and tolerance. Tourism is the cornerstone of the World Culture. In addition, a sustainable, well-managed tourism sector contributes to building peaceful societies with stable and balanced economic development, democratization and social justice.
In June 2016, at the forum on branding of territories in Kyiv, UNWTO General Secretary said: “Tourism is on the white side, terror is on the dark side. We should not be led by those who want us to stop traveling. They want us to build walls, they want us to close borders, want to isolate us from each other, they want us to hate each other. That is why terror is aimed at tourism - at airports, hotels, beaches, places of gathering people. They know that this is an industry, which is a connection between people, which represents the future, which is a celebration of life. That is why they are aimed at tourism, and that is why we should never allow them to win this battle. I think we should immediately go to those destinations that have come under any attack. ”
© Ivan Liptuga, President of National Tourism Organization.