Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva spoke at the International Tourism Forum “Tourism in Ukraine: Challenges and Recovery”.

The event was organized by the Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine (SATD).

The topics of the forum were: the strategic plan for the development of Ukrainian tourism in the post-war period, directions for the restoration of tourism and creation of a new tourist product, international and interregional relations, and cooperation in development of tourism in Ukraine. In particular, one of the most important topics was the Crimea Recovery Strategy after de-occupation.

Ms. Tasheva mentioned how the occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula affected tourism: every year the number of opened areas for recreation is decreasing, the most valuable lands were given to the Russian power holders. Several cases of illegal blocking of access to the sea have been recorded, as well as the construction and destruction of the unique Forosky Park, the privatization of vast territories on the southern coast of Crimea by Vladimir Putin and his entourage.

The Permanent Representative reflected on the Crimea Recovery Strategy, the goal of which is to make Crimea open to the civilized world, energetically autonomous, economically developed modern European resort.

“Our goal is to transform Crimea into a resort with all-year-round provision of tourist services, where entertainment and cultural-historical infrastructure is the main focus, integrated into the unique Black Sea landscapes”, Ms. Tasheva concluded.

Leading Ukrainian tour operators, hoteliers, Ukrainian and foreign scientists, who are specializing in tourism product development, destination management and regional public administration also joined the event.