"Can We Avoid Russians?" — The Most Common Question from Ukrainian Tourists. For years, Ukrainian travelers have frequently begun their inquiries with this question when considering trips abroad. Iryna Mosulezna, Managing Director of the tour operator Join UP!, discusses how the market responds to this demand in an interview with The Page.
Full Video Interview with Iryna Mosulezna from Join UP!
A Common Concern: Vacationing Without Russians
When it comes to outbound tourism, the primary request from Ukrainians is to vacation as far away from Russians as possible. How feasible is this, and which destinations can be recommended?
This is a very popular question that remains relevant and is becoming clearer to the market. Unfortunately, none of the hotels we work with can guarantee the absence of Russians. Many Russians have left their country and are constantly residing in other countries. They also travel and have the ability to book hotels, even those that do not work with the Russian market. International booking systems, such as Booking.com, are available everywhere, and any tourist, regardless of citizenship, can book any hotel there. Therefore, we cannot guarantee 100% the absence of Russians, but we can offer resorts or hotels that are more targeted toward European tourists.
For example, if we talk about Turkey, which is a very popular destination among Russian tourists, we can offer the Aegean coast—Bodrum and Dalaman. They are not in demand among Russians because a more relaxed European style of vacation is adopted there, without animation from morning to evening. People there are accustomed to strolling along promenades and exploring interesting nearby places.
If we take Egypt, I can say that over the years of the great war, it has somewhat Ukrainianized. And this did not happen by chance. As a large tour operator and one of the largest cooperating with Egypt, we conduct educational work among hoteliers, our partners, explain, and make presentations about the Ukrainian nation, our life, and history. We ask that each hotel has a Ukrainian flag and that Ukrainian songs are played there. We do a lot of work to ensure that Ukrainian-speaking guides are present at every destination so that our tourists, arriving in any country, hear their native language.
In Egypt, which is generally not as massive as Turkey among Russian tourists, we can also highlight the most European resorts: Marsa Alam and this season's novelty—El Alamein on the Mediterranean Sea. This is truly a modern European resort, quite unlike the Egypt that tourists are accustomed to in Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh.
El Alamein
Do Ukrainian Tourists Encounter Conflicts with Russians During Their Travels?
Clashes occurred even before the full-scale war and, of course, still exist. But I cannot say that this is a widespread issue. I note that any hotel perceives this as a regular clash and does not investigate the cause of the situation. That is, all tourists who violate the hotel's accommodation conditions can simply be evicted. Therefore, it is better not to engage in conflicts with Russian tourists, avoid communication with them, and not react emotionally.
How Tourism Logistics Develop During the Great War
When we talk about outbound tourism, we cannot ignore logistics problems. After all, now, to fly, say, to Egypt, we need to get to foreign airports. What are the most convenient routes for Ukrainians now?
Not only tour operators but also logistics companies are adapting to this situation. Therefore, now it is quite easy to find a way to get to the departure airport in one country or another. I can say that Moldova, specifically Chișinău Airport, has become the main hub for Ukrainians. Our strategic partner, SkyUP Airlines, started flying from Chișinău in April. About 55-60% of trips depart from there. The second hub is the Polish airport in Rzeszów, to which we also organize transfers. Ukrzaliznytsia is also adapting to today's situation and expanding the range of destinations that can be reached from Ukraine.
I also want to talk about the bus program because this is also an element of improving logistics for vacations. We can offer tourists to board a bus in their city.
SkyUP Airlines
In Which Cities Do Such Trips Currently Start?
We expand this network every year because we see demand and need. Now we can offer departures, of course, from Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Odesa. We have a very extensive network in Western Ukraine—Lviv, Lutsk, Uzhhorod, Chernivtsi. That is, tourists now do not need to travel across half the country to board a bus and go, for example, to Bulgaria.
What Are the Longest Distances Ukrainian Tourists Travel by Bus?
There are tourists who board a bus and travel to Antalya for 2-2.5 days to finally see the sea. But we try to make their journey as comfortable as possible so that they already feel on vacation while on the bus.
Top countries for Ukrainian tourists in 2025
Which outbound tourism destinations are expected to be the most popular this summer? Will it be Turkey and Egypt again, or are priorities gradually changing?
Egypt and Turkey remain at the top. But I would like to highlight the Aegean coast, which was one of the favorite resorts before the war. Because now we are returning to this direction, specifically to the European resorts of Turkey.
Bodrum
El Alamein, which I mentioned, is also gaining momentum. Our first flights there depart in June. And I can say that we are already adding additional flights because the existing ones are already full. Because this is truly an interesting opportunity to vacation in Egypt on the white sandy shores of the Mediterranean Sea in very high-level hotels and not far from Alexandria and Cairo. Therefore, such a trip can be combined with visiting historical sites and an excursion program.
I cannot fail to mention European countries that are in demand among tourists who want to vacation with fewer Russian tourists around. A very popular destination here is Spain. This year, it's not only Costa Brava and Costa Dorada but also Palma de Mallorca or Alicante. That is, now Spain offers very diverse resorts.
Greece is also among the top destinations. Because, first of all, it's the hospitality that our tourists really appreciate. Also, Greece can offer all-inclusive vacations, which are now very relevant for our citizens.
Greece
If we look at more budget-friendly destinations, because Greece may be too expensive for some, we can offer all-inclusive in countries like Tunisia or Albania.
Albania is a more European resort, while Tunisia has an eastern flavor with very high-quality food and wonderful sandy beaches. This resort can especially be recommended for tourists with small children because there are gentle entries into the sea, and many hotels offer a children's vacation concept.
Tunisia
How a Ukrainian Tour Operator Builds Business Abroad
It is known that Join UP! has entered the international market. In which countries are you currently present?
Now we are present in nine countries: of course, in Ukraine, the Baltic countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia), Kazakhstan, Moldova, Poland, Romania. And this season, we are already launching the first flights from the Czech Republic.
In These Markets, Do You Focus Mainly on Ukrainians or Also on Local Clients?
We strive for each market to be independent, and we work there primarily with local tourists. Because we cannot rely in the long term solely on Ukrainian tourists. After all, after the war ends, they may return to Ukraine.
Iryna Mosulezna, Managing Director of the tour operator Join UP!
Do You Notice Differences Between Tourists from the Countries Where You Are Present and Ukrainian Tourists? Do the Tourist Markets, Business Environments, Traditions, and Mentalities Differ in These Countries?
At the beginning of scaling, it seemed to us that the markets were very similar. But when you start entering a country, you realize that there are many differences. Therefore, transferring the tourism business to other countries is not as easy a task as it seems. For example, Ukrainian tourists need constant communication with their agent. But in European countries, such as Estonia, people are used to buying online. Therefore, the work of a travel agent there requires less time than in Ukraine.
In Kazakhstan, for example, tour operators mainly work with large cities. But we are already used to being trendsetters and focus on development specifically in small towns. We do the same in Romania. Now we already have over 14 flights per week from there and are introducing new destinations that are unusual for this region.
In general, European countries are somewhat conservative. But Join UP! lives differently. We start offering a new product. For example, the Sharm El Sheikh destination, which was not popular at all in Romania, is now becoming one of the top products there.
Do You Have a Vision for the Development of Your Business After Victory?
Of course, we live with this thought, and strategic planning is already taking place. Our experience working in other countries helps with this. Because when Ukraine achieves victory, the units that work abroad will promote our country.