On 15 August, Ukraine welcomed Shaikha Nasser Al Nuwais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, to Kyiv for the first visit by the organisation’s head to the country since 2016. The one-day visit was intended to demonstrate support for Ukraine and discuss how tourism can contribute to the country’s recovery during the full-scale war with Russia.
During her visit, Al Nuwais met Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. Their discussions focused on UN Tourism’s possible participation in Ukraine’s recovery, the mobilisation of international and donor support for restoring tourism infrastructure, and educational cooperation, including student exchanges in the tourism field. Just as important was the topic of resilience of the tourism sector and overall the safety of tourists themselves.
The UN Tourism Secretary-General also met representatives of Ukraine’s tourism community, relevant associations, the hotel industry, academic institutions, the innovation and technology sector and international programmes supporting the country. According to the State Agency for Tourism Development, the meetings addressed the development of tourism during the war and the sector’s future role in economic recovery.
Al Nuwais pointed to medical tourism, information technology and digital technologies as areas that could help Ukraine attract international visitors in the future. She also argued that recovery work should not wait until peace is achieved.
A special Ukraine category of UN Tourism’s Safe Destinations Challenge was announced during the visit. The initiative seeks innovative solutions for the safety, sustainability and recovery of destinations after crises and disasters. Ukraine’s experience with real-time security alerts, crisis communication and operating tourism businesses during wartime is being presented as a possible source of knowledge for wider international solutions.
The visit also included stops at the UNESCO World Heritage sites of St Sophia of Kyiv and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Al Nuwais took part in events marking the 975th anniversary of the Lavra, that way linking the tourism discussions with Ukraine’s cultural heritage and destination offer.
For Ukraine, the visit places tourism firmly within the country’s international recovery agenda. It also shows that the sector’s priorities extend beyond future visitor numbers to include safe travel, restored infrastructure, accessibility, education, innovation and investment.
