Unesco says $9 billion needed to revive Ukraine tourism

FILE PHOTO: Lithuanian musician Darius Mazintas plays a piano in front of the Central House of Culture destroyed during Russia’s invasion, in the town of Irpin, outside Kyiv, Ukraine April 26, 2022. REUTERS/Mykola Tymchenko/File Photo

PARIS — Ukraine will need $9 billion over 10 years for its tourism sector to recover, the United Nations’ cultural agency said on Tuesday, adding that the two-year war had so far cost the country over $19.6 billion in tourism revenue.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022 triggered the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two, with no sign of an end to the war in sight.

READ: Ukrainians prepare for a long war. Will the West stay the course?

“The damage continues to increase and the needs for the sector’s recovery continue to grow,” Krista Pikkat, director of culture and emergencies at UNESCO, told reporters, adding that the lost revenue to the capital Kyiv alone was $10 billion.

In an assessment ahead of the war’s two year anniversary, the UNESCO estimated the cost of damage to cultural property at about $3.5 billion, up 40% from 2023.

It said 340 buildings had been damaged, including museums, monuments, libraries and religious sites.

“International solidarity will be essential to meeting these needs,” the report said. “The implementation of risk prevention measures and the support for the creative industries are also important levers to reduce the estimated long-term impact of the war.”