Tourism as a Tool for Resilience: Ukraine Launches National Program 'Journey to Oneself. Paths of Recovery'

The State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine has recently presented a national program called 'Journey to Oneself. Paths of Recovery', which aims to create a new approach to traveling in Ukraine. This initiative is supported by the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine in partnership with the non-governmental organization 'Brand Ukraine'.

The primary goal of the program is to establish a new philosophy of travel that not only restores the emotional state of Ukrainians but also fills their leisure with new meanings. 'Journey to Oneself. Paths of Recovery' brings together various tourist destinations, accommodation options, natural sites, as well as experiences and practices that will help individuals restore their resources, enjoy nature, and familiarize themselves with the culture, cuisine, and traditions of different regions. As part of the program, Ukrainians will have the opportunity to attend workshops on bread baking, try breathing practices, feed goats on a farm, or even make their first clay pot.

Nataliya Tabaka, the head of the State Agency for Tourism Development, noted: 'After this challenging winter, Ukrainians have particularly felt mental exhaustion and how it affects their productivity, family relationships, and overall life activity. Our team conducted research in a dozen countries, from Japan to Finland, where state-level efforts are actively focused on reducing population stress. The foundation for recovery is nature therapy and various mindful practices, understanding one’s roots and the culture of different regions. We propose to shape domestic tourism as a tool for improving the psycho-physical state, which will allow citizens to recover and communities to achieve economic growth through increased tourist demand.'

The program pays special attention to military personnel, veterans, and their families. It aims to foster a new culture of hospitality based on respect, gratitude, and understanding of their experiences, as well as support for all Ukrainians in need of recovery.

The implementation of the program also aims to support local economies. Active domestic tourism will contribute to community development, improve infrastructure, and create financial opportunities for residents of small settlements.

The program consists of four main components. The first is an innovative website that allows users to create personalized recovery routes. Users can specify their expectations regarding goals, duration, cost, and travel region, and the platform generates an individual itinerary using a network of verified and certified locations and practices. This can range from a two-week vacation plan to a short trip to a nearby forest or pottery workshop.

Participants in the program can include those locations and service providers that adhere to the philosophy and standards of the project, conduct official business activities, and have recovery practices. These can be reserves, landscape parks, eco-homesteads, retreat centers, hotels, farms, gastro-producers, museums, art galleries, guides, tour operators, craftsmen, and authentic gastro-locations. Currently, the selection of locations for the national network is underway, and businesses that share the project's philosophy are invited to apply through a participant questionnaire.

The second element of the program involves training for participants on the principles of sustainable and regenerative tourism, ensuring informational and physical accessibility at locations, as well as communication with various target audiences, including vulnerable groups. This training is aimed at cultivating quality and hospitality culture that aligns with the program's principles.

The program also includes a micro-grant competition for current and potential participants. The State Agency will collaborate with international technical support programs to strengthen businesses and organizations in the tourism sector. Micro-grants are planned to be directed towards increasing accessibility, developing local tourism infrastructure, implementing recovery practices, and adapting products and services to the program's standards.

The fourth direction is a nationwide information campaign aimed at forming a new travel philosophy that becomes an integral part of self-care. This campaign will promote a trend for exploring Ukraine, its unique natural landmarks, culture, and traditions of different regions, as well as understanding one’s roots.

The program is implemented in partnership with the non-governmental organization 'Brand Ukraine'. At the end of last year, the State Agency for Tourism Development and 'Brand Ukraine' signed a memorandum of cooperation, aimed at combining experience, creativity, and analytical data to jointly form a cohesive and recognizable tourist brand for the country.

Maria Lipyatska, the head of the NGO 'Brand Ukraine', emphasized: 'For us, it was fundamentally important to develop this program not just as a response to current demands but as an investment in the future. We are consciously embedding a long-term perspective into it – the moment when Ukraine will once again open up to the world. I sincerely believe that Ukraine has all the prerequisites to become the global capital of recovery tourism – a place where people come not only to see but to feel, to embark on their own path of recovery. That is why, while working on the program – and especially on its digital platform – we are immediately integrating opportunities for the development of inbound tourism, so that at the right moment this system is fully operational and ready to welcome foreign tourists.'

The program is funded thanks to the support of socially responsible Ukrainian businesses. The general partner of the program is Zenyk Art Gallery, the general mountain partner is GORO Mountain Resort, and the official partner is the ski complex 'Plai'. This project is a vivid example of successful cooperation between the state, the public sector, and business.