Elena Koval'ska, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, called for the expansion of loyalty programs for military personnel, veterans, and their families at the III National Tourism Summit in Lviv on Thursday.
“I want to highlight two facts. First, domestic tourism in our country is showing growth again, nearly matching the pre-COVID year of 2019. Second, there are almost 900,000 people serving in the Ukrainian army, and we also have 1.3 million veterans. The growth in the market means we have opportunities to assist our heroes. Domestic tourism in Ukraine is not just about travel; it’s about restoring strength and rejuvenating our defenders, defenders, and their families,” she said, addressing the summit participants.
As reported by an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent, Koval'ska added that since the end of 2022, some Ukrainian establishments located in relatively safe areas in central and western Ukraine have developed special loyalty programs for defenders and their families, providing opportunities for relaxation and recovery. Over the past year, 150,000 military personnel benefited from these loyalty programs. Specifically, around 40,000 military personnel restored their strength in Transcarpathia.
“I would ask everyone working in the domestic tourism market not just to implement loyalty programs for the health of our military but to offer recovery services for free. It’s time to consider how many places for free recovery you can provide for military personnel. Think about an industry initiative that guarantees our defenders, defenders, veterans, and their families quality rest,” said the Deputy Head of the Office of the President.