Research and Markets: UEFA Has Given Ukraine until November 2009 to Make Progress on Building Work on the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Airports and Other Infrastructure

* Reuters is not responsible for the content in this press release.

Mon Nov 2, 2009 2:27pm EST

DUBLIN--(Business Wire)--
Research and Markets
(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/69cfbf/ukraine_tourism_re) has
announced the addition of the "Ukraine Tourism Report Q4 2009" report to their
offering. 

The Ukraine Tourism Report provides industry professionals and strategists,
corporate analysts, tourism associations, government departments and regulatory
bodies with independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on Ukraine's
tourism industry. 

Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is facing its worst macroeconomic crisis since
the post-Soviet transition, and while the region weathers the crisis its tourism
industry will suffer. For Ukraine, which is among the countries worst affected,
we expect the recession to subdue arrivals numbers in 2009, as the majority come
from CEE. BMI forecasts a 12% year-on-year (y-o-y) fall in tourism arrivals in
2009, after double-digit arrivals growth every year but two since 2002. Despite
2009's bleak outlook, from 2010 to the end of our forecast period in 2013 we
forecast the industry to return to double-digit growth. The majority of tourists
arrive in Ukraine via road or rail. The country is well-placed for land travel
as it borders seven countries, including Russia. Transport via road is forecast
to substantially outpace rail travel. This coincides with the recent visa
liberalisation between the EU and Ukraine so that EU citizens no longer require
a visa to enter the country for stays under 180 days. 

Ukraine is set to co-host the 2012 UEFA European football championship (Euro
2012) with Poland, and this event is a key driver for the country's tourism
industry. Not only will it bring thousands of tourists to the country, but also
the requirements to be chosen as a host for the competition include an array of
infrastructure investment that can only be regarded as positive for the
industry. UEFA has given Ukraine until November 2009 to make progress on
building work on the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, airports and other infrastructure.
The final decision of whether the country will host the championship will be
made in 2011. Ukraine has said that it will allocate UAH76.2bn (US$15.14bn) for
the construction and rehabilitation of roads, as well as the construction of
dozens of hotels to make up for the lack of accommodation capacity, as part of
the preparations for the event. 

Although the Ukrainian hryvnia has stabilised recently, BMI expects the currency
to sell off further before the end of the year. The hryvnia's weakness is
positive for the country's tourism industry, as it has increased Ukraine's price
competitiveness. 

Budget airline Wizz Air started offering services in Ukraine in 2008, and BMI
expects the trend of low-cost carriers in the country to increase in the coming
years. The authorities at Boryspil International Airport (KBP), which serves
Kiev, are constructing another terminal exclusively for budget airlines. This
would be a positive development in our view, as it would drive down fare prices,
making travel within and to/from Ukraine more affordable, increasing tourism
numbers. Wizz Air's entrance to the market has already caused the largest
Ukrainian carrier, AeroSvit, to reduce fares. 

We do not expect the H1N1 flu (swine flu) pandemic to have a severe impact on
Ukraine's arrival numbers. Those concerned about the virus have generally been
reassured by its moderate symptoms and relatively low mortality rate. 

Key Topics Covered:

* EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
* SWOT ANALYSIS 
* INDUSTRY FORECAST SCENARIO 
* MARKET OVERVIEW - TRAVEL 
* MARKET OVERVIEW - HOSPITALITY 
* BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT 
* CURRENCY FORECAST 
* GLOBAL ASSUMPTIONS 
* COMPANY PROFILES 
* METHODOLOGY

Companies Mentioned:

* AeroSvit 
* Premier Hotels 
* Ukraine International Airlines

For more information visit
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/69cfbf/ukraine_tourism_re

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager,
press@researchandmarkets.com
U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907
Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 

Copyright Business Wire 2009

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