The United Nations’ cultural agency reported on Tuesday that Ukraine’s tourism sector would require $9 billion over the next decade to recover from the devastating impact of the two-year war, which has already cost the country over $19.6 billion in lost tourism revenue.
The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia on Feb. 24, 2022 has sparked the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two, with no end in sight to the ongoing war.
“The damage continues to increase and the needs for the sector’s recovery continue to grow,” said Krista Pikkat, director of culture and emergencies at UNESCO, highlighting that the capital city of Kyiv alone has lost $10 billion in tourism revenue.
Prior to the war’s two-year anniversary, UNESCO estimated the cost of damage to cultural property at about $3.5 billion, a 40% increase from 2023. It noted that 340 buildings, including museums, monuments, libraries, and religious sites, had been damaged.
The report emphasized the importance of international solidarity in meeting Ukraine’s needs, and called for the implementation of risk prevention measures and support for the creative industries to mitigate the estimated long-term impact of the war.
(Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; writing by John Irish; Editing by Ros Russell)
