In Kyiv, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva met with Secretary-General of UN Tourism Shaikha Nasser Al Nuwais. This is the first visit by the organization’s Secretary-General to our country since 2016.
Ihor Zhovkva thanked her for the visit and solidarity with Ukraine and noted UN Tourism’s principled position since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, including the suspension of Russia’s membership in the General Assembly of UN Tourism.
The Deputy Head of the Office of the President briefed her on the destruction Russia has caused to Ukraine’s civilian and energy infrastructure, as well as to its cultural heritage sites. The parties discussed UN Tourism’s participation in Ukraine’s recovery and in mobilizing international and donor support for the restoration of tourism infrastructure. They also discussed prospects for educational cooperation and student exchanges in the field of tourism.
Particular attention was paid to tourist safety and the resilience of the tourism sector during the war. The Deputy Head of the Office of the President emphasized that tourism is important for Ukraine’s development and economic growth. According to him, before the start of Russia’s full-scale aggression, around 30 million people visited our country, while tourism contributed about 5% of GDP to the national economy. The recovery and further development of this sector will be important for Ukraine’s economic growth and the development of its regions.
“Ukraine today has experience that, unfortunately, no country should ever have to gain. At the same time, we are ready to share the solutions we have developed to ensure people’s safety, the resilience of tourism infrastructure, and the functioning of the sector under emergency conditions,” Ihor Zhovkva noted.
While in Kyiv, Shaikha Nasser Al Nuwais also visited the National Conservation Area “St. Sophia of Kyiv” – one of the most significant landmarks of Ukrainian history and culture.