Which regions became tourist centers?
According to the State Tax Service, UAH 91.7 million in tourist tax was paid to local budgets from July to September 2025.
In total, businesses paid UAH 234.4 million in tourist tax over the first nine months of 2025. This is 1.5 times more than during the same period before the start of the full-scale war. Kyiv, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions remain the largest contributors to local budgets.
Local budgets received UAH 234.4 million in tourist tax for the first nine months of 2025. This is 36% more than in the same period last year and 1.5 times more than before the start of the full-scale war.
The summer season is traditionally the “golden time” for the tourism industry. Businesses paid 91.7 million hryvnia in tourist tax from July to September 2025. This is 20% more than in the second quarter of this year — 76.2 million hryvnia.
More than half of the tourist tax — 53% or UAH 125.2 million — was paid by large businesses: hotels, sanatoriums, and recreation centers. The remaining 47% or UAH 109.2 million was paid by small businesses, i.e., owners of apartments, estates, and small tourist facilities. It is worth noting that revenues from small businesses increased by 39%, while those from large businesses increased by only 6.5% during this period.
The capital remains the undisputed leader of Ukrainian tourism. A fifth, or UAH 51 million, of the tourist tax was paid in Kyiv. 81% of this amount came from large businesses.
Lviv region is in second place with UAH 42.5 million — here the share of large businesses is smaller, 56%. Ivano-Frankivsk region closes the top three — UAH 32.5 million, while 55% of the tourist tax in the region was paid by small businesses.
The amount of tourist tax collected in the Odesa region increased the most during the holiday season. Despite this, the region’s figures for the first nine months are still 17% lower than for the same period in 2021.
Compared to the pre-war period, the amount of tourist tax collected in Bukovina increased fivefold. At the same time, 90% of the amount was provided by owners of apartments, estates, and small tourist facilities. Ivano-Frankivsk region is also among the leaders: the amount of tourist tax for this period increased 4.5 times.
Since April this year, Uzbekistan has been welcoming over 1 million foreign tourists every month. These figures are unprecedented in the country’s history, according to the press service of the Tourism Committee under the Ministry of Ecology, Environment and Climate Change.
In the first nine months of the year, Uzbekistan was visited by 8.6 million foreign tourists, which is 12.5% more than in the same period last year. In 2024, the country was visited by 10.06 million tourists, in 2023 — 6.62 million, and in 2022 — 5.23 million.
The growth in tourist traffic compared to 2022, when the world began to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, was as follows:
Exports of tourism services also reached a record level this year, exceeding $3.6 billion (compared to $3.4 billion for the whole of 2024).
The Tourism Committee noted that the development of the industry was facilitated by reforms in recent years, in particular the simplification of the visa regime, incentives for entrepreneurs, and the active promotion of Uzbekistan abroad.
Almost 690 million tourists made international trips in the first half of 2025, which is almost 5% or 33 million more than a year ago, according to the UN World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism).
“The number of international tourist trips in the first six months of 2025 increased by 5% compared to the same period in 2024 and amounted to almost 690 million. This is approximately 4% more than in the same period before the pandemic,” the report says.
According to UN Tourism, the highest growth rates in tourist trips in the first half of the year were recorded in Africa, up 12% compared to the same period last year. In North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, the increase was 14% and 11%, respectively.
Europe received about 340 million tourists in six months, which is 4% more than in the same period last year and 7% more than in pre-pandemic 2019. The main destinations for travel in Europe, France and Spain, increased by 5%. In Central and Eastern Europe, the growth rate is even higher, at 9% compared to the first half of 2024, while inbound tourist flows are 11% lower than before the pandemic.
The number of tourists in North and South America increased by 3%, while the results for individual regions were uneven. South American countries recorded a 14% increase in tourist arrivals, Central America recorded a 2% increase, while North America saw no growth due to a decline in tourist trips to the US and Canada. The Caribbean region also saw a decline, partly due to lower demand from its main tourist market, the US.
In the Middle East, the number of tourist trips fell by 4% in the first half of the year, while compared to 2019, the increase was 29%. As noted by UN Tourism, these are the highest growth rates among all macro-regions.
The number of arrivals in the Asia-Pacific region during this period increased by 11%, which is 92% of the pre-pandemic level. Northeast Asia showed the highest figures among the world’s subregions: in the first half of the year, tourist traffic here grew by 20% compared to the same period last year.
According to UN Tourism, among the major tourist destinations, the largest increase in tourist trips was recorded in Japan and Vietnam (up 21%), Morocco (up 19%), South Korea (up 15%), Malaysia and Indonesia (up 9%), as well as Hong Kong, Mexico, and the Netherlands (up 7%).
Tour operator Join UP! Ukraine served more than 236 domestic tourists this summer season, which is 70% more than a year ago, according to Irina Mosulezna, managing director of Join UP! Ukraine, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine.
In total, over 325,000 Ukrainians used its services to plan their vacations in the first eight months of this year. For comparison, in the same period in 2022, there were 158,000 domestic tourists, in 2023 – 238,000, and last year, according to data from January to August – 260,000.
“This summer, we are seeing a noticeable revival of interest in travel: the number of tourists has increased by more than 70% compared to the summer of 2024. The total volume has not yet reached pre-war levels, but the stable dynamics during the war years are a good sign that Ukrainians are ready to plan their vacations again. There is also a noticeable increase in interest in B2C online booking — we are only at the beginning of this path, but we are already seeing demand for digital services,” Mosulezna said.
According to her, the demands of Ukrainians remain stable: current restrictions on tourists from Russia, popular family trips, and an increase in the number of military personnel among customers. Among other things, she noted that as early as August this year, Ukrainians began booking vacations for the 2026 summer season. This trend demonstrates a gradual return to long-term planning, which was almost unheard of in the early years of the full-scale war.
The most popular summer destinations were the traditional ones: Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, and Montenegro. The operator’s summer program included new tours to Mallorca and Alicante (Spain) and an expanded flight program to Halkidiki (Greece). At the same time, Mosulezna also noted the interest of vacationers in a new destination—the resort of El Alamein in Egypt.
As for Turkey, even despite the increase in the cost of holidays, it has maintained its leading position and expanded its offer thanks to the return of the popular resorts of Bodrum and Dalaman, the expert noted.
According to the company, bus tours remain one of the most stable travel formats for Ukrainians during the war. This year, demand has increased most for Bulgaria as a destination due to affordable prices and convenient logistics, with the possibility of departure from frontline cities. Among the new features of the season are the resumption of tours to Greece (Chalkidiki) with departure from Kyiv and Lviv, as well as the offer of luxury buses to Turkey.
As for domestic tourism, the highest demand this summer was traditionally for the Carpathians and popular resorts in western Ukraine: Truskavets, Polyana, Skhidnytsia, and Zakarpattia. The average check for domestic tours this year increased by about 10-15% compared to last year. Demand for Odessa and the Odessa region remained below pre-war levels due to security restrictions and rising hotel prices.
In 2025, the average cost of tourist packages for Ukrainians increased in both the air travel and bus tour segments. For example, bus tours to Bulgaria rose in price by an average of 13%, to Montenegro by 57%, while tours to Turkey became slightly cheaper compared to last year’s offer (by 6%).
Prices for air travel to Greece were 4% higher, to Egypt – 7%, and to Turkey – 13%. Price dynamics were influenced by general market factors such as rising fuel prices, changes in logistics routes, and currency fluctuations.
“Despite the price increase, demand for vacations remains high. Even in difficult conditions, tourism remains a way for Ukrainians to recover physically, emotionally, and socially,” Mosulezna concludes.
As reported, the travel company Join UP! LLC was established in 2013 with a registered capital of UAH 72,671,000. The ultimate beneficiaries are Yuriy and Oleksandr Alby.
According to OpenDataBot, Join UP! Ukraine (Join UP! Ukraine LLC) was established in 2018 with a registered capital of UAH 50,000. Its founder is Join UP! Holding OU (Estonia), and the ultimate beneficiaries are Alina and Alexander Alby.
The brand’s international expansion covers eight markets: the Baltic states, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic. Preparations for the launch in Slovakia and Hungary are nearing completion. Last year, the brand also opened its first franchise agency on the international market in Katowice, Poland.
Tour operator Join UP! has served more than 145 thousand Ukrainian tourists since the beginning of the year, compatriots choose tours lasting 7-10 days from 450-500 euros per person, said Iryna Mosulezna, managing director of Join UP! in Ukraine, to Interfax-Ukraine.
“Despite the difficult circumstances, Ukrainians are increasingly planning vacations. Today, vacations are perceived not as a luxury but as a necessity for mental recovery, and this directly affects the travel market. We have been seeing positive dynamics for several years in a row. If in 2022, 158,675 tourists used Join UP! services, in 2023 – already 238 thousand, and in 2024 – 260 thousand. And in the first half of 2025 alone, we have already had more than 145 thousand tourists,” Mosulezna said.
According to the company, on average, Ukrainian tourists choose tours lasting from 7 to 10 nights. The cost starts at around 450-500 euros per person, depending on the destination, hotel type, and season.
The most popular destinations with all-inclusive programs are Turkey and Egypt.
“At the same time, Ukrainians have become more likely to book in advance: we received the first bookings for October 2025 in September 2024. This trend is gradually bringing us back to pre-docking and pre-war planning habits,” says Mosulezna.
Among the new hits of the season is the Aegean coast of Turkey, which offers a more European type of vacation, a calmer rhythm and opportunities for independent leisure.
In Egypt, the new El Alamein resort is of great interest – a modern all-inclusive format that surpasses the usual ideas about vacationing in this country.
The popularity of European destinations is also growing. In 2025, in addition to Barcelona, Join UP! opened new charter flights to Alicante and Palma de Mallorca. The company is also actively working with Greece, which provides even more options for summer vacation.
“We are also currently seeing an increase in demand for economical bus tourism, especially among travelers from the south of Ukraine. The most popular destination is Bulgaria, as the nearest and most affordable seaside resort. Tourists also choose tours to Turkey, Greece, and Montenegro,” Mosulezna said.
As reported, the travel company Join UP! LLC was established in 2013, with an authorized capital of UAH 72 million 671 thousand. The ultimate beneficiaries are Yuriy and Oleksandr Alba.
The brand’s international expansion covers eight markets: the Baltic States, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic. Preparations for the launch of operations in Slovakia and Hungary are nearing completion. Last year, the brand also opened its first international franchise agency in Katowice, Poland.
Ukrainian tour operator Join UP! provided services to over 730,000 tourists in eight markets in 2024, according to Marina Dayneko, head of the Join UP! sales office, in an interview with the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
“We provided services to over 260,000 tourists from Ukraine (+10% compared to 2023). The Polish unit served 142,000 tourists, a sixfold increase compared to 2023, over 113,000 tourists from the three Baltic countries (up 12%), almost 110,000 from Moldova (+40%), more than 62,000 from Romania (2.4 times more) and 43,000 from Kazakhstan (+65%). We are seeing growth in all markets,” she said.
As reported, the travel company Join UP! LLC was established in 2013 with a registered capital of UAH 72,671,000. The ultimate beneficiaries are Yuriy and Oleksandr Alby. According to the OpenDataBot service, at the end of 2024, the tour operator’s revenue decreased to 376,000 UAH from 16.639 million UAH in 2023, and its net loss decreased to 217.451 million from 233.341 million, respectively.
The brand’s international expansion covers eight markets: the Baltic states, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic. Preparations are underway to launch operations in Slovakia and Hungary. Last year, the brand also opened its first franchise agency on the international market in Katowice, Poland.
