THE SITUATION AND MAIN TRENDS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOURIST INDUSTRY OF UKRAINE IN THE CONDITIONS OF TODAY'S CHALLENGES

Abstract

The article analyzes the situation and trends of the development of tourism in Ukraine during several extreme years, during which the industry faced two extremely serious and extremely difficult tests: first – the Covid-19 pandemic, and a little later – the war launched by Russia against our country. After studying statistical information by topic, it was found that in 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the tourism industry of Ukraine lost 60 billion UAH. But already in 2021, when most people adapted to the pandemic, just as the tourism industry got used to it, the tourism market of Ukraine demonstrated the recovery of positive trends. Thus, in 2021, the budget of Ukraine received a record 244 million UAH. of the tourist tax, which was 86.8% higher than the similar indicator of 2020 and 20% higher than the previous year 2019. In 2022, in connection with the start of the war against our country by Russia, the situation in the tourism industry of Ukraine became unprecedentedly difficult. For a while, tourism in general ceased to function, and only at the end of spring did tourist companies begin to take cautious steps towards the restoration of the offer. As a result, according to the results of 2022, the profitability of the tourism industry of Ukraine decreased by 70-80%. In 2023, as evidenced by the analysis of the results of the operation of the industry during the first three months, the situation remains extremely difficult, and the industry continues to lose. It is undeniable that as long as the war continues in Ukraine, the situation on the tourist market is unlikely to significantly improve. As for the trends in the development of the tourism industry of Ukraine, the article states that during the analyzed period, its characteristic features were and remain increased attention of tourists to safety and hygiene issues, a decrease in the share of business tourism, an increase in demand for domestic tourism and individual recreation, an increase in the popularity of short-term and long-term recreation, growing demand for cultural, educational and ethnographic tourism, recreation in the bosom of nature and natural food from local products, the growing popularity of contactless payments and an increasing shortage of qualified personnel.