Hotels and resorts: how the war changed the profitability of the tourism sector in the south of the country

In Ukraine, revenues from the tourism sector grew by almost 30 percent. The lowest revenues come from Mykolaiv and Kherson regions due to the fighting.

This is evidenced by YC.Market research.

According to the State Agency for Tourism Development, in the first two quarters of 2024, the tourism sector paid UAH 1.25 billion in taxes to the budget, almost 25% more than in 2021 (UAH 1.09 billion) and 39% more than in the same period in 2023, when UAH 0.9 billion was paid.

In 2023, the revenues of tourism companies exceeded those of 2021 by more than 18%. In 2024, the sector continued to grow, and in the first half of the year, the increase was almost 29% compared to the first half of 2023.

In 2023, the total revenue of the Ukrainian tourism sector amounted to UAH 16.3 billion, which is more than 18% more than in 2021 (UAH 13.8 billion). The 20 largest companies in the industry accounted for almost 36% of total revenue. In the first half of 2024, the sector brought in UAH 5.8 billion, up almost 29% compared to the same period in 2023. This growth can be attributed to an increase in domestic tourism due to difficulties in traveling abroad, especially for men, as well as transportation problems.

The main income from tourism traditionally comes from Kyiv. In the first half of 2024, Kyiv's travel companies earned UAH 3.1 billion, accounting for almost 54% of the industry's total revenue.

There are 817 travel companies registered in the capital, or 38.9% of the total number in the country. Lviv region is in second place, its revenue for this period amounted to UAH 1.1 billion (19.1%), and 229 companies operate in the region (10.9% of the total). Ivano-Frankivsk region is in third place with 69 companies (3.3% of all in Ukraine) and revenue of UAH 852.2 million (15% of the industry's revenue).

Revenue from the tourism industry in Odesa region amounted to UAH 88.4 million, and in Mykolaiv region - UAH 135 thousand.

The lowest revenues came from Kherson, Luhansk, and Mykolaiv regions due to active hostilities.

The ten largest companies by net income in the first half of 2024 included two companies from Ivano-Frankivsk region (Bukovel), two from Lviv region, and 6 more from Kyiv. Seven companies are hotel complexes, and three more operate as tour operators.

Among the most profitable companies in the first half of 2024, the leader is PARKTUR LLC from Ivano-Frankivsk region, which earned UAH 376.4 million, which is 31% more than in the same period in 2023. It provides services for the Bukovel resort, including hotel reservations, SKI passes, and children's recreation at the Artek-Karpaty-Bukovel camp.

Another leading company is Kyiv-based INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CENTER LLC with revenues of UAH 302.5 million, which operates a Hilton-branded hotel and leases luxury residential apartments.

Another Kyiv-based company, OPTIMA HOTEL MANAGEMENT LLC, generated UAH 217.3 million in revenue, with an increase of more than 11% by 2023. The company operates a chain of hotels under the Optima Hotel Group brand.

Also, the Bukovelian company ZIRKA BUKOVELU LLC received UAH 216.6 million in net income for the first half of 2024, an increase of over 18%. The company manages the Radisson Blu hotel.

The sector has also experienced a significant increase in the number of individual entrepreneurs, which increased by 20% in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the previous year and amounted to 19.2 thousand. More than 64% (11.5 thousand) of the private entrepreneurs in the tourism sector are women.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, thousands of Ukrainian women have joined the Armed Forces, started active volunteer work and are helping the state on various fronts, including the economic one. Using the YC Market tool, YouControl R&D center experts analyzed the impact of women on supporting various business sectors in Ukraine during the war year by continuing the activities of existing companies and opening new ones.

In June, according to the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine, tax revenues in the tourism sector increased in Mykolaiv, Odesa, and Kherson regions compared to last year. The state treasury received UAH 5 million 118 thousand from Mykolaiv region, UAH 28 million 163 thousand from Odesa region, and UAH 11 million 158 thousand from Kherson region.

Анна Бальчінос