Mykolaiv region has lost over 70% of its tourist tax revenue: how the war has changed tourism in the south

The Mykolaiv region has lost over 70% of its tourist tax revenue. Illustrative photo: NikVesti

Over the years of full-scale war, revenue from tourist tax in the Mykolaiv region has fallen by more than 70%.

This is according to an analysis by «Slovo i Dilo», NikVesti reports.

Despite the general revival of domestic tourism in Ukraine, it is the frontline regions that remain among the hardest hit. In 2025, the country’s local budgets received 359 million hryvnias in tourist tax revenue — 47.2% more than in 2021. The main growth came from the western and central regions, which have become the primary destinations for holidays and temporary relocation for Ukrainians.

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At the same time, the Mykolaiv region lost a significant portion of its tourism revenue. Whilst in 2021 the region’s local authorities received 7.86 million hryvnias in tourist tax, in 2025 this figure stood at just 2.02 million hryvnias. This represents a 74.3% decline.

A similar situation is observed across the whole of southern Ukraine. In the Odesa region, revenue fell by 24.1% to 20.3 million hryvnias, although the region remains the leader in the south thanks to the partial running of the holiday season.

The most drastic decline is in the Kherson region: due to the occupation and hostilities, the tourist tax has virtually disappeared: from almost 6.6 million hryvnias in 2021 to 11,000 hryvnias in 2025.

Tourist tax in Ukraine’s regions. Infographic: Slovo i Dilo

Instead, safer regions have become the country’s tourism leaders. The highest tourist tax revenues in 2025 were recorded in Kyiv — 70.6 million hryvnias, Lviv region — 63.1 million, Ivano-Frankivsk region — 46.2 million, Zakarpattia region — 31.9 million, and Cherkasy region — 28.6 million hryvnias.

Experts note that, in the context of the war, some hotel guests are not traditional tourists but people on business trips or citizens who have temporarily relocated, which also affects the statistics on tourist tax.

The tourist season in Mykolaiv region

Due to the military situation, the coastline, including the resorts of Kobleve, Luhove, Rybakivka and Ochakiv, will officially remain closed in 2025. Instead, residents of Mykolaiv are being offered an alternative — holidays by rivers and estuaries in safe locations that are currently being inspected. This is discussed in the article by NikVesti entitled «Mykolaiv Region Prepares Safe Vacation Zones as Beach Access Remains Closed».

In total, since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Kobleve community has lost 123.2 million hryvnias in revenue due to the ban on access to sea beaches.

However, Mykolaiv region is home to the Tylihul Estuary — one of the few places where holidaying has not been banned since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This tourist destination is becoming increasingly popular every year. To find out how this tourist magnet has changed over time and whether the influx of tourists poses a threat to the unique natural environment around the estuary, read the article by NikVesti: «The Tylihul Estuary in times of war: how nature and tourism coexist in the face of growing popularity».

In addition, more and more Ukrainians are turning their attention to the beaches in the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions. It is here that you can organise a seaside holiday. To find out which beaches in these cities are officially open and how safe they are, read the article by NikVesti: «A Minute to Hide: The Risky Reality of Southern Ukraine’s 2025 Beach Season».