The tourists from Western Europe, the U.S. and China begin to visit Ukraine more often as Ministry of the Economic Development and Trade reported.
“The qualitative gains took place in the structure of the foreign tourist flow to Ukraine. The State Border Guard Service spotted the growth of the number of tourists from the non-border states, particularly Europe: Spain by 68%, Great Britain by 47,3%, Lithuania by 23,4%, Italy by 15,4%, Germany by 13,3%, France by 9,2% and India by 57,4%, China by 38,8%, Japan by 38,3%, Israel by 21,7% and the U.S. by 19^. The border crossing, conversely, decreased,” the message said.
The department is sure that such changes in the structure of the tourist flow became the result of the promotion of Ukraine at the international tourist market, bilateral cooperation, visa liberalization, increase of the offers of the direct and budget air traffic.
Consequently, the incomes from the tourist fee also increased by 29,2% and made $3,34 million.
“The cumulative incomes from the tourist fee and tax payments from the tourist sphere increased by 20,7% up to $154,5 million. It shows the growth of the volume of the inner tourist flows and efficiency of the implementation of the decentralization reform, particularly, the increase of the fiscal discipline in places,” the message said.
As we reported the number of entry bans for Israeli citizens in Ukraine has grown up lately. On February 19, Ukraine's state border guards did not let the group of tourists from Israel into Ukraine. A group of visitors and a guide consisted of more than 30 people.