Ukraine draws a tempting tourist outlook. Say, in 10 years 25-30 million. Our fellow citizens will travel on domestic routes, as many foreigners will come, who will replenish local budgets for 400 million. UAH. And the consolidated tourist budget of the country will reach a record 10 billion. UAH. in year.

Such goals are incorporated in the new Strategy for the development of the tourism industry until 2026, developed by the Ministry of Economy. According to the authors, tourism should finally become a priority for Ukraine. The share of this market in the GDP of many countries is 22-50%, and in some it reaches up to 60-70%. In Ukraine, it has declined in recent years and hardly exceeds 2%.

However, it is not the first time to compose grandiose strategies for our officials. The Cabinet has already adopted the program documents on tourism in 2008. And 2013 g. Their terms have long expired, but no special results can be seen. "I have not seen a single public report on the implementation of the adopted documents," said the President of the Association of Leaders of Tourist Business of Ukraine Alexander Novikovsky.

UBR. Ua decided to find out what are the prospects for implementing the new strategy and how it can really change the tourist market in Ukraine.

What can really be done.

Interrogated by UBR. Ua experts, the very fact of adopting the strategy was called positive. But they did not like the document very much. Relatively real, they called no more than 30% of the declared in the Road Map. This, in particular, the creation of state cadastres of resort areas and medicinal resources, the abolition of licensing of tour operator activities, the "hot line" for processing complaints and assistance to Ukrainian and foreign tourists. The authorities are able to implement a large legislative bloc that provides for the modification of existing laws and the development of new laws (for self-regulating tourism organizations, attracting investments, etc..

For the first time there was also a marketing block that prescribes the promotion of tourism opportunities in Ukraine. These include: the formation of a positive image of our country abroad, including participation in profile exhibitions, the creation of a tourism Internet portal, a network of representations around the world, etc..

"People have been talking about the promotion of Ukraine for a long time, even some money was allocated for this. But the tourist brand "Ukraine" is not present till now. In the world they know about us because of Chernobyl and thanks to Maidan. And as a tourist country is not perceived. There was a chance to correct the situation thanks to Euro 2012, but it was hacked, "- said the president of the Ukrainian Analytical Center Alexander Okhrimenko.

Europe or Asia?.

In the rest the document experts consider declarative. They expected a detailed strategy with a detailed plan as the state would develop regions, which of them would be priority and pr. In the end, it is not even clear which of the two existing models of tourism development in the world will be used in Ukraine. Asian, as in India and Sri Lanka, when the state creates for foreigners separate tourist areas with all the conditions beyond which it is better not to leave. Or European, in which first develop domestic tourism, forming tourist routes, building an infrastructure, and only in time, connect tours for foreigners.

From the choice of model depends on how the state will develop the industry. After all, depending on the chosen strategy, you need to determine the priority regions, their "chips" in the historical, cultural, entertaining or therapeutic direction, the type of hotels, infrastructure projects, marketing plans, investments, etc..

"The specifics of the strategy is small, but in fact, based on it, we must develop. Even the forecast indicators are not tied to reality, "- said UBR. Ua Chairman of the Board of the Association of the Hospitality Industry of Ukraine, former Minister of Tourism of the Crimea (2010-2014 biennium. ) Alexander Liev. The Association believes that today, because of the loss of Crimea and the high cost of overseas tourism, Ukraine is very suitable for the European model, which will allow the economy to start and prepare for visits by foreigners. Because apart from 5 cities where Euro-2012 and several park zones passed, there are no self-sufficient tourist routes for foreigners. And the promotion of "raw" products will become anti-advertising to Ukraine.

"Take the famous Truskavets, Morshin, Mirgorod - there is realized no more than 20% of the potential. Medical resorts require large investments in medical infrastructure, "stated Alexander Novikovsky.

Where are the foreigners.

However, Ukrainian officials do not hide that they dream of luring as many foreigners as possible into the country. But here it is necessary to do this - the authorities do not yet know. Most travel around the world residents of China, the United States, Australia, Japan, Germany. If you bet on them, you need promotional companies in these countries. But the travel agents are not going to be advertised at their own expense. For example, participation in an exhibition costs about $ 5 thousand. (Printing of promotional products, design of the stand, etc.. ), Which is clearly beyond the means of most agencies.

They hint that it would be nice to get state support. And they calculated the budget: the stand at the exhibition will cost about $ 20 thousand. , And a full-fledged advertising campaign will cost hundreds of thousands, and even millions of dollars, depending on the region. With a budget of 30 million. UAH. , Allocated for the promotion of Ukraine's image for 2017, the possibilities are very limited. "For maximum effect, we need to focus on 2-3 countries, preferably neighboring countries, where they know about Ukraine and with whom the message is established. A couple of years it is desirable to work precisely in these territories, and then switch to the most traveling countries, "advises Liev.

We need to prepare for the reception of foreigners, for example, to develop special programs for them, as they did, for example, for the Poles in Kamenets-Podolsky.

"Especially for tourists from Poland, they launched a stage show dedicated to their national hero Pan Vladimirsky. And how many such stories, where you can earn? ", - said Alexander Okhrimenko.