Traveling During Wartime: Study on Ukrainians' Tourism Presented in Kyiv

The Central Railway Station in Kyiv hosted the presentation of the first national study on the tourist behavior of Ukrainians, titled "Tourism During Wartime: Data and Insights." The event brought together government officials, tourism industry representatives, and the civil sector to discuss the role of travel in the mental and physical recovery of society.

The study was commissioned by BRAND UKRAINE and the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine (DART), and conducted by the sociological company Gradus as part of the national program "Journey to Yourself: Pathways to Recovery."

"Today, domestic tourism has transformed from a leisure industry into a vital tool for recovery. As our survey results show, Ukrainians clearly articulate an urgent need for mental reboot. Therefore, the key task for the State Agency for Tourism Development is to work in synergy with local communities and businesses to build safe, inclusive, and barrier-free tourism infrastructure," noted Nataliia Tabaka, Head of DART.

According to the study, there is no longer a social taboo against tourism during wartime. On the contrary, 66% of Ukrainians consider domestic travel appropriate, and 66% of the general sample have already taken at least one trip across the country over the past year.

Key Insights from the Study:

• Tourism as a Basic Need for Recovery: Tourism during wartime is not about entertainment, but about healing. Currently, 66% of respondents feel an acute need for recovery, and 45% consider travel and a change of scenery to be one of the most effective ways to achieve it.

• Military Personnel and Veterans Travel More Actively: 72% of service members and 69% of veterans traveled across the country during the year. For the military, tourism is primarily a space for recovery, driven by physical rehabilitation (47%) and spending time with family (42%).

• Social and Safety Barriers: The main external barrier to leisure is the danger of military actions (65%). However, for the military, social barriers are critical: 33% note a sharp contrast between civilian life and front-line reality, while 30% experience discomfort from strangers asking about their service.

• Format of Modern Travel: Travel today is most often a weekend trip with close ones. 42% of trips last 2–3 days, and the majority of Ukrainians (56%) travel with family.

• Logistics and Destinations: 55% of Ukrainians usually travel by train, and 53% use personal cars. The Carpathians remain the primary "magnet" for recovery, chosen by 54% of respondents. Other leaders include Kyiv and the region (51%), Lviv (50%), and Odesa (46%).

"The national program 'Journey to Yourself: Pathways to Recovery' is designed to shape a new culture of traveling in Ukraine during wartime—slow, mindful, and friendly to both people and the environment," shared Mariia Lypiatska, Head of BRAND UKRAINE.

The full research report is available on the official DART website.

The national program "Journey to Yourself: Pathways to Recovery" was made possible thanks to the people and organizations who believed in its idea at the formation stage.

General Partners: ZENYK ART GALLERY (ZAG), GORO Mountain Resort, family experience ethnopark "Agroland".

Official Partners: "Play" ski resort, LLC "Spetstrans Sirius".

Partners: Saatchi & Saatchi Ukraine, Entrepreneurship and Export Development Office, Neuro Union, Sumy State University, Toyota Ukraine, Ukrnafta, Ukrzaliznytsia.

The program was also supported by the Swiss-Ukrainian project UCORD "Ukraine Cohesion and Regional Development".