Turkey is the most popular country in Ukraine...

The number of tourists from Ukraine, which recorded record growth last year, will continue to grow this year as well. The Association of Turkish Hoteliers (TÜROB) reported that Turkey is currently the most preferred international destination in Ukraine. While approximately 1.5 million people travel abroad from Ukraine for holidays each year, 75 percent of them come to Turkey.

Despite the general difficulties in Turkish tourism, the Ukrainian tourism market, which recorded a significant increase of 48 percent last year, is expected to continue growing this year as well. In an assessment made by the Association of Turkish Hoteliers (TÜROB), it was noted that Turkey is currently the most preferred international destination in Ukraine. It was reported that the annual number of tourists departing from Ukraine is approximately 1.5 million, and that around 75 percent of them come to Turkey.

Entry with ID card is positive, but not yet widespread
The Association of Turkish Hoteliers (TÜROB) prepared a concluding report containing expectations and forecasts regarding this market following the Ukraine International Travel & Tourism Fair (UITT) held recently in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. The report, which drew attention to the fact that the all-time record was broken in 2016 when the number of tourists coming to our country from Ukraine reached its maximum level, noted that an increase from this market is again expected in 2017. In 2016, TÜROB's forecast came true and the number of tourists coming to our country from this country exceeded 1 million with a steady increase. In 2016, 1 million 45 thousand tourists came to Turkey from Ukraine with a 48 percent increase, 527 thousand came to Antalya with an 82 percent increase, and 270 thousand came to Istanbul with a 7 percent increase.
The highlights of TÜROB's concluding report on the Ukrainian market are as follows:
•Conveniences were provided for the stays of Ukrainian tourists in Turkey. Last year, the visa exemption applied to Ukrainian citizens, which was 60 days within the last 180 days provided that the total stay does not exceed 90 days, was increased to 90 days. An agreement was signed allowing citizens of both countries to travel with a chip-based ID card. However, due to the still low number of chip-based ID cards and bureaucratic procedures, the practice is not expected to make a significant contribution to the tourism sector for 2017.
•Ukrainian tourists mainly prefer Antalya and Istanbul in Turkey.
•It is observed that Ukrainian tourists wait for high-rate discount opportunities at hotels in our country, and for this reason they delay their reservations until the last minute.
•Considering the diversity of transportation, the number of tourists traveling individually from Ukraine to our country is increasing day by day. It would be beneficial for businesses to take this situation into account in their marketing activities.
•Ukrainian tourists and tourism professionals, taking into account the increasing number of Ukrainian tourists, are requesting that hotels in Turkey, especially in Antalya and Istanbul, also include Ukrainian television channels among their television channels.
•Apart from Turkey, Ukrainian tourists travel mostly to Israel, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, Bulgaria, Spain, Egypt, Thailand, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. It is anticipated that, particularly due to low prices and geographical proximity, Bulgaria will significantly increase the number of tourists it receives from Ukraine in 2017.

In the 'last-minute' group
•The average holiday duration of Ukrainian tourists is around 10 days. Reservation periods generally take place 1-2 months before the start of the holiday. In other words, it is seen that Ukrainian tourists belong to the tourist group referred to as 'last-minute.'
•Turkey's very affordable prices, climate, tourism facility infrastructure, visa-free entry, short flight duration and all-inclusive system are among its important advantages in the market.
•Turkish Airlines, one of the most important players in the market, increased the number of destinations it flies to in Ukraine to 6 with the Kharkiv flight that began on March 30, 2017. The routes Turkish Airlines flies to in Ukraine are as follows: Kyiv, Kherson, Lviv, Odessa, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv. In 2016, Turkish Airlines carried approximately 550 thousand passengers from Ukraine. It carried 261 thousand passengers on the Kyiv route and 146 thousand on the Odessa route.
•Atlasglobal operates regular flights to Lviv, Kharkiv and Kyiv in Ukraine; Onur Air to Odessa; and Pegasus to Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv and Zaporizhzhia.
•In 2016, approximately 150 thousand Turkish citizens visited Ukraine.

For the full report; http://www.turob.com/basin_bultenleri.aspx?id=24266