Ukrainians find time and desire to travel. It helps to take a break from everyday life and recharge. Join Up! conducted a study and found out how the demand for tourism among Ukrainian citizens increased in 2023

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The full-scale war has affected holiday planning, but Ukrainians still go on holiday. In particular, the Ukrainian tour operator Join Up! found out whether Ukrainians are ready to spend money on travel. Here's a closer look at where Ukrainians are travelling and the cost of tours in 2023.

Despite the war, Ukrainians continue to travel 

Last year, the tour operator sold tours to more than 158 thousand tourists. The average number of people in one tour remained the same as in the pre-war period - 2-3 people. However, nowadays, it is not parents with a child who travel more often, but a mother with a child and a grandmother or a friend.

Read more about where Ukrainians go on holiday during martial law here. 

Increase in the cost of tours

Since the start of the full-scale war, holidays abroad have become more expensive. According to Join Up!, prices for travel services in 2023 will not increase compared to 2022. 

The rise in prices was driven by complicated logistics and the lifting of anti-coronavirus restrictions, which increased demand for travel around the world. Tourism experts predict that the number of tourists will continue to grow. The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) reported that in 2022, more than 900 million tourists travelled outside their home country, which is double the figure for 2021. However, this figure is only 63% of the number of pre-pandemic travellers.

Currently, Ukrainians can only fly abroad from foreign airports, and the cost of getting to airports increases the cost of tours. Here are the figures for comparison: the average cost of a Join UP! tour in 2021 was $454, in 2023 and the first quarter of 2022 - $562.

Ukrainians have started to choose budget trips

The travel agency notes that travellers are choosing cheaper options more often. In particular, those who preferred five-star hotels in Turkey are now booking apartments in Montenegro.

Another way to travel cheaply is through bus tours. Last year, the number of such offers increased, and it is not surprising, because the cost of a 14-day bus trip can cost as much as a seven-day air tour.

What is the cost of holidays in 2023?

Budget bus tours to Turkey, for example, cost from $310. At the same time, there are still offers of holidays in exotic countries on the market, which cost from $46 thousand. 

According to the company's internal statistics, tourist spending increased by $100 compared to 2021.

How long do Ukrainians spend on holiday?

On average, Ukrainians spend seven days on holiday, according to tour operator statistics. However, not all Ukrainians can afford long holidays. 

A study by Rakuten Viber found that 68% of Ukrainians consider holidays during the war inappropriate. The survey, which involved more than 100,000 users from Ukraine, was conducted on the official Viber channel.

It should be added that 16% of respondents plan to take a few days off during the year, and 10% intend to spend a holiday with their families in Ukraine. Only 6% of respondents have not made a final decision about their holidays, but are thinking about travelling abroad on their own.

As you know, the war has affected the logistics routes from Ukraine to other countries. Although airports are closed, rail and bus transport remains available. 

Book bus, train, and plane tickets to/from Ukraine and between cities around the world here. 

Just a reminder. In the previous article, we talked about the mountains, caves and crystal waterfalls of the Carpathians. To find out what tours in Ukraine are worth visiting right now, follow this link.

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