The recovery of international tourism after the coronavirus pandemic may slow down due to the conflict in Ukraine, experts from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) say.
“The main tourist supplying countries, the US and Asian countries, which have now begun to open for departure, are sensitive to possible risks. In addition, the closure of Ukrainian and Russian airspace, as well as the ban on flights for Russian carriers, affects travel within Europe. The need to overfly closed areas for long-haul flights leads to an increase in flight time and an increase in flight costs.
According to the UNWTO, Russia and Ukraine accounted for 3% of global travel spending in 2020.
If the conflict drags on, global tourism could lose at least $14 billion in revenue.
“Both markets are significant suppliers of tourists for neighboring countries, European beach destinations. The Russian market has also become very important during the pandemic for tourist destinations such as the Maldives, Seychelles or Sri Lanka,” the organization emphasizes.
At the same time, UNWTO experts note that it is too early to assess all the consequences of the war. Searches and bookings for flights through various channels fell just after February 24, but in early March, the figures began to recover.
“The situation of uncertainty worsens economic conditions, undermines consumer confidence, increases investment uncertainty. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), global economic growth this year could be 1% lower than forecast, and inflation could jump by 2 .5%. The rising price of oil also increases the cost of transportation services and hotel accommodation, which reduces the purchasing power of potential tourists,” the UNWTO emphasizes.
All appeals under voluntary medical insurance policies (VHI) are covered, except when the appeal is related to an injury directly related to war, hostilities, exposure to weapons, ammunition, according to the insurer’s website.
At the same time, it is emphasized that VHI agreements are valid only on the territory of Ukraine, therefore, in order to receive medical care abroad, clients are advised to purchase an insurance policy for travelers abroad.
According to the report, ARX medical assistance works as usual, around the clock. Its employees provide recommendations based on the terms of insurance contracts, organize assistance, visit a doctor, provide medicines, and teleconsultations.
“However, we ask clients to be understanding of possible delays in the organization of medical services, since the medical system, especially private clinics, is now also working in a situation of heavy workload and, in some cases, in a situation of staff shortages. In addition, in some regions, for security reasons or changing the profile, some of our partners have suspended the provision of services or limited certain services,” the message says.
In addition, the company has significantly expanded the opportunities for the insured to receive compensation in case of independent organization of medical services and their payment. The term for receiving compensation can reach 2-3 business days.
According to the report, in areas with active hostilities – Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Mariupol or with a difficult security situation – all partners of the company have suspended the provision of services due to a lack of staff on the ground and for security reasons.
All medical services in Western Ukraine, as well as Odessa, Dnipro are provided without restrictions on the basis of the company’s partners. There are difficulties with calling an ambulance, due to the heavy workload. Pharmacy chains limit the opening hours of pharmacies in accordance with curfew restrictions and in general.
In Kyiv, almost all partners of the company work as usual, but subject to restrictions for security reasons and curfews. There may be difficulties with calling an ambulance, both private and 103.
In connection with the re-profiling of hospitals, there are difficulties with the organization of planned hospitalization. A large number of doctors work remotely, so it may be difficult to organize face-to-face appointments with doctors of narrow specialties at a time and place convenient for the client.
IC “ARX” has been operating in the insurance market for 26 years. According to the company, it is the leader in CASCO insurance for the 12th year in a row. It ranks first among Ukrainian insurers in terms of net insurance premiums and net insurance payments for 2019. It is part of the international insurance holding Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (Canada).
The number of international tourist arrivals continued to grow in early 2022 after falling by 70% due to the pandemic, in January the increase was 130% compared to the same month a year earlier, according to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
“The number of international tourist arrivals in January increased by 18 million or 130% compared to the same month in 2021. While these figures confirm the positive trend that emerged last year, the recovery of international tourism continues to be hampered by covid restrictions that persist in many countries. In 2021 In 2020, the number of arrivals decreased by 71%, in January 2022 the decrease was 67%,” the report says.
The best results, according to the UNWTO, are in Europe and America, where the number of arrivals increased by 2000 and 100% respectively. But these numbers are still just over 50% behind pre-pandemic flows.
In the Middle East, arrivals increased by 90% in the first month of the year, and by 51% in Africa. This is 63 and 66% less than in 2019. The Asia-Pacific region is recovering the slowest, as several countries remain closed to tourists. The increase in the number of arrivals here amounted to 44%.
But what will happen to tourism after the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine, the UN World Tourism Organization does not analyze.
In the Svyatoshinsky district of the capital, power supply was resumed, according to the Kiev City State Administration.
“Power supply in the Svyatoshinsky district of Kyiv has been resumed after damage that occurred as a result of hostilities in the suburbs. Currently, work is underway to connect individual consumers. Specialists from DTEK Kyiv Electric Networks have carried out repair work in 6 places,” the statement said. in the telegram channel.
As reported, on Saturday, in the Svyatoshinsky district of Kyiv, there was no electricity supply due to hostilities in the direction of Gostomel and Irpen, during the day there was a reduced water pressure on the right bank of the capital.
The currency swap concluded by the National Bank of Ukraine with the National Bank of Poland and the right granted to Ukrainian banks to buy hryvnia in cash from foreign financial institutions for non-cash currency in the amount of up to EUR1 million per day (in equivalent) made it possible to launch such an exchange without major losses in Poland and 5 other countries, the NBU said.
“On March 25, the agreement that we concluded with the National Bank of Poland on the exchange of Ukrainian hryvnia for Polish zlotys by Ukrainian citizens in Poland began to work,” the National Bank of Ukraine noted on Facebook.
He clarified that in Poland, which accounted for over 2/3 of all refugees, Ukrainians can apply to separate branches of PKO Bank Polski. The limit for such an exchange is up to 10 thousand UAH in cash per person in banknotes with a face value of 100 to 1000 UAH. To exchange, you need to have a passport in the form of an ID-card or a valid international passport.
In Hungary, cash hryvnia is exchanged by OTP Bank: in its branches, Ukrainian citizens can exchange hryvnia for Hungarian forints within the limit of UAH 15,000. for one transaction.
In addition, the bank offers to open a forint account for Ukrainians aged 18 years and over (from 14 to 18 years of age, the presence of parents or legal guardians is required) in special branches of OTP Bank in Hungary that provide this service, if they have a valid passport or travel document.
In Moldova, to support citizens of Ukraine, OTP Bank will carry out foreign exchange transactions with Ukrainian currency in its branches located in the border regions of Moldova and some branches in Chisinau, on the basis of an internal or international passport of Ukraine. The hryvnia exchange limit is up to UAH 3,000 per client per day.
In Romania, the exchange of Ukrainian hryvnia for Romanian lei is carried out by Banca Comercială Română: 11 branches of this bank near the border with Ukraine are additionally supported by cash to help Ukrainians crossing the border of this country. Citizens of Ukraine can exchange hryvnias for up to 1,000 Romanian lei per person (at the official rate of almost UAH 6.5 thousand) with a valid passport.
In Slovakia, Tatra banka, a subsidiary of the Raiffeisen group, offers to exchange hryvnia for euros. The daily limit per person is EUR250. When exchanging money, citizens of Ukraine must provide a valid passport.
So far, the exchange takes place in Bratislava at the head office of the bank in the Tatracentrum shopping center, and additional exchange points should soon appear in Humenny and Michalovci. In addition, Ukrainians will be able to open an account at Tatra banka branches, to which cash hryvnia will be credited to a payment card in accordance with the euro exchange rate.
In Austria, you can exchange cash hryvnia for euros at Raiffeisen bank and Erste Bank Oesterreich branches if you have a passport. at Raiffeisen bank one person can exchange up to EUR500 per day, and at Erste Bank Oesterreich up to EUR300.
“At the same time, we continue to recommend to everyone who intends to evacuate abroad not to take cash hryvnia with them, but to deposit it into their bank accounts in Ukraine. After all, having a payment card, you can pay without cash and withdraw money from ATMs abroad,” – the National Bank noted and reminded that it did not introduce any restrictions on non-cash payments both within the country and abroad.
Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU) has started accepting the first cargoes with technology and humanitarian aid from European colleagues, the company’s press service reported on Saturday.
According to the press service, the Belgian operator Fluxys provided equipment for centering during pipe welding, the Bulgarian Bulgartransgaz EAD – six tonnes of welding electrodes now in short supply in Ukraine for the repair of main pipelines, the German ONTRAS – humanitarian goods (mats, sleeping bags, etc.).
In addition, a scheme has been agreed with the German operator OGE (Open Grid Europe) for the emergency delivery of special equipment and repair kits for fireless tapping and connection of bypasses in case of damage.
Also, cargoes from six more GTS operators are already being formed for shipment.
In general, since the beginning of the Russian military aggression, GTSOU has received proposals for technical assistance from 15 GTS operators from 13 countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, Italy, France, the UK).
“We are thankful to our international colleagues for the support, as well as the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, USAID for assistance in obtaining critical materials. Thanks to all of you, GTSOU continues to supply gas to Ukrainian consumers,” the company said.
The length of the main gas pipelines managed by GTSOU is 33,079 km, the number of compressor stations is 57, and the number of gas distribution stations is 1,395.
