(Lviv) Ukrainian leaders say it: one of the best ways to support their country’s economy, which has been damaged by the Russian invasion, is to come and visit it, despite the dangers that this represents.
“If you are brave, welcome to Lviv,” says Mayor Andriy Sadovy, stretching out his arms to show off his magnificent city.
The mayor met with The Canadian Press in his office at City Hall, in the heart of Old Town.
The place is relatively safe compared to the rest of the country. The streets are illuminated with twinkling lights from the entrances of independent shops and bustling restaurants. People stroll past neo-Gothic and Renaissance buildings.
This charming vision is interrupted by the signs of war that can be seen on every street corner. The air alarm sounds almost every day, even if the population pays less attention to it. The curfew was imposed under martial law, slightly stifling nightlife.
The monuments are surrounded by jute bags, plastered and protected by anti-tank obstacles against possible enemy shells. Sandbags are stored along the windows of the cellars in order to be able to serve as shelters. The army has set up checkpoints at the entrances to the city.
PHOTO LAURA OSMAN, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Sandbags protect a statue in Lviv.
On this sunny February Sunday, on the main street near the Lviv Opera House, a boy is playing a carnival game. He shoots a photograph of Russian President Vladimir Putin with a very realistic toy gun.
Despite the wishes of the mayor, the municipality cannot openly encourage tourists to come to Ukraine. There is no guarantee protecting them against a Russian missile, recognizes Khrystyna Lebed, who heads the local tourist office.
The Canadian government warns Canadians against the temptation to travel to Ukraine because of the dangers posed by the Russian invasion. Travel insurance is difficult to obtain and very expensive.
“It may sound strange, but we invite tourists who would not be afraid,” says the CEO of a railway company, Oleksandr Pertsovsky.
The economy is struggling and tourism could become a source of income.
Oleksandr Pertsovsky, CEO of a railway company
Mr. Pertsovskyi agrees that it is up to the visitor to decide if he feels comfortable enough with the danger. He points out that going to Ukraine could be one of the best ways for Canadians to support the war effort.
“We believe that as soon as the situation stabilizes a bit, people, and Canadians in particular, will be able to come and visit at least western Ukraine,” he said.
His company even created a scenic route for tourists from Moldova to Kyiv called “The Victory Train”. Each train is decorated to represent territory occupied by the Russian army.
PHOTO PETROS GIANNAKOURIS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Lviv Guard illuminated by Swiss artist Gerry Hofstetter
The Lviv Tourist Board has made efforts to point out the relatively low number of rocket attacks in the region compared to other sectors of the country, to indicate that the city is located far from the front lines, at approximately an equal distance to that between Montreal and Washington.
The agency also reports that hotels have their own air raid shelters.
Mayor Sadovy assures that the population has found innovative ways to adapt to the difficult circumstances. They carry within them “resilience, bravery and an immense love of the motherland”.
When the Russians destroyed the energy infrastructure, restaurants and hotels bought generators to continue their activities. They can be seen along the sidewalks, outside almost every business in the heart of the city.
New restaurants have opened in various wineries around the city. Some establishments are run by restaurateurs from the occupied territories who are rebuilding their lives in Lviv.
“Every day we have a new idea to demonstrate our resilience,” says Mr. Sadovy, who has been mayor for 17 years.
He says he has consulted other tourist centers in countries that have already been confronted with war, such as Croatia or Israel, on the art of balancing the desire to attract tourists with the security considerations linked to the war.
And in exchange, these places can also learn from Lviv. “Today in Ukraine we have very unique cases. Our example is very interesting for several mayors in different countries,” says Mr. Sadovy.
And everyone who comes to Lviv is the mayor’s “guests”.
A year after the start of the war, the majority of tourists come from other regions of Ukraine and want to treat themselves to a brief escape, notes Mme Lebed.
Ukrainians who have left their homes, international journalists, aid workers and political delegations from foreign countries also contribute to the city’s economy.
And the number of its foreign tourists is growing week by week.
” [Leur appui est] priceless”, emphasizes Mr.me Lebed.