Ukraine and Turkey intensify cooperation in the tourism sector. And this is not by chance, because the largest number of tourists visiting Turkey during the pandemic was from Ukraine.

Turkey and Ukraine are now taking a joint step forward by launching a certification program for safe tourism during the global tourism crisis due to the global COVID-19 outbreak. With almost 1 million tourists in 2020, Ukraine is among TOP-4 countries in terms of the number of tourists who visited Turkey.

During the talks, which took place on April 27 in the Turkish city of Antalya, an agreement was reached between the two countries on ensuring the safety of tourists, protecting their rights and legitimate interests, as well as improving the quality of tourist services.

The Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko and the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Mehmet Nuri Ersoy signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on Cooperation in Respecting the Rights and Safety of Tourists.

The agreement will make it possible to simplify border crossing rules for citizens of both countries, while ensuring safe travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the agreement, Turkey and Ukraine will exchange information on their vaccination systems.

The Joint Declaration of Intent signed by Oleksandr Tkachenko and Mehmet Nuri Ersoy in Antalya will also allow the countries to increase the number of scheduled and charter flights between the two countries, helping to enlarge mutual tourist flows.

According to the signed declaration of intent, the parties will cooperate in organizing mutual study and information trips for representatives of the tourism market, media, bloggers and journalists who promote tourist attractions in both countries.

Ukraine organizes expert visits to exchange experiences on categorization and quality standards of Turkish hotels. The development of joint plans for cooperation between travel agencies of the two countries will also be encouraged.

Under the agreement, Ukraine and Turkey will develop cooperation in attracting investment in tourism and resorts. Both countries will continue to inform each other about investment incentives.

Both sides also confirm the availability of travel audio guides in Ukrainian and Turkish and Ukrainian channels in Turkish hotels.