Recently Ukraine opened its national stand, New Opportunities for Vacations in Ukraine, at the Thirty-Fourth World Travel Market in London, one of the world’s most prestigious exhibitions. It is the first time Ukraine has participated in the London exhibition displaying a separate national exposition occupying 127 sq. m. Incidentally, in April 2003 a similar Ukraine’s national display placed sixth among the fifty European countries participating in the International Tourism Exhibition in Berlin. Ukraine’s tourism potential is represented in London by leading travel agencies and hotels from six regions (twenty participants in all, which is much more than last year). It is the first time travel agencies from Ternopil and Lviv have come to Great Britain, with Sevastopol presenting a program of events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Crimean War. Statistics point to a 15-20% increase in the number of tourists who visited Ukraine in 2003 as compared to the previous year. According to State Tourism Administration Chairman Valery Tsybukh, such an increase is due to Ukraine’s active participation in international tourism exhibitions.
