"Travel to Ukraine" website unveiled by U.S.-Ukraine Foundation

by Marta Matselioukh

WASHINGTON - The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation on May 25 unveiled its latest project, the comprehensive website "Travel to Ukraine" (www.traveltoukraine.org), which will serve as a valuable information resource for business and pleasure travel to Ukraine.

Since 1991, the mission of the foundation has been to facilitate democratic institutions, a free market and human rights in Ukraine. In its support of Ukraine's economic development, the foundation is now focusing on the travel industry, a key sector for Ukraine in its economic transformation.

During the project announcement, USUF President Nadia K. McConnell remarked, "Ukraine's people are known throughout the world for their gracious hospitality and when you combine that with a rich culture, a history of over 1,000 years, beautiful and varied geography, and an emerging travel industry, you realize that tourism is a key sector for the economic development of the country."

"We understand that the foundation needs to support Ukraine's travel industry in order to make Ukraine an attractive and easily accessible destination for millions of tourists," she added.

The foundation has been promoting Ukraine's economic development through business promotion such as its Business Links webpages, the business e-newsletter BizLinks and the business e-journal Potential.

In addition, the foundation has been a strong supporter of professional travel exchanges between the U.S. and Ukraine. Its major programs, such as the U.S.-Ukraine Community Partnerships Project and U.S.-Ukraine Policy Dialogue, have conducted over 500 professional exchanges during the past eight years.

John A. Kun, USUF vice-president stated, "As Ukraine continues on its journey toward the West, we realize that Travel to Ukraine will become an important and appreciated tool by those who are looking for business opportunities there. We hope to capitalize on the expanding effectiveness of the Internet, and we believe that this website will be the best means to reach an ever-growing audience of those interested in Ukraine's democratic future."

"Ukraine's quest for Euro-Atlantic integration has sparked interest by numerous Western corporations that are exploring emerging markets in Eastern Europe," Mr. Kun continued. "We feel that there is an urgent need to provide these companies with useful, updated information so that any barriers of uncertainty will be overcome by our Travel to Ukraine website."

"I would like to congratulate Oleksiy Synelnychenko for his technical work over the recent past in completing this project and our intern of last summer, Stephen Choma Thompson, for initiating the work in 2005," added Mr. Kun.

For more information about the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, log on to http://www.usukraine.org.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 4, 2006, No. 23, Vol. LXXIV

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