The round table meeting arranged by Information Centre “Ukraine-2012” in tandem with the all-Ukrainian youth tourist association saw the participants raising a host of pressing issues of accommodation as well as online reservation system. The event was attended by Deputy Sport Minister Rostislav Karandeyev, head of department for accommodation and hotel infrastructure at the Ukraine State Tourist and Resort Service Ihor Mityai, representatives of Euro-2012 Coordination Bureau, and other tourist institutions.

Ukraine, the hotel industry is monitored by the government and surveyed by UEFA whereas the area of cheap, low-cost dwelling doesn’t receive attention.

During the 2012 UEFA European Championship, Ukraine will see as many as 30,000 official guests. Meanwhile, the expected number of ordinary fans makes up 600,000. Moreover, many of them will arrive as tourists intending to buy tickets at sight. For this category of football supporters, there are hostels. These are a kind of dormitory providing long-term and short-term services.

The majority of visitors will stay in hotels which impose their catering, entertainment, services, transport, etc. Most of them belong to foreign investors. Therefore, the lion’s share of revenues will return back to the Western Europe banks.

Hostels, economically, are beneficial both for ordinary fans and the Ukraine government. Tourists can save on dwelling which enables them to travel across Ukraine, buy souvenirs, visit cultural and entertainment institutions, restaurants, and cafes in the host cities. Correspondingly, part of their spendings will be forwarded by domestic entrepreneurs to the stage budget as taxes. Both foreign guests and Ukrainians from other cities will be able to get familiar with the host venue, its sights, locals, which contributes to positive image of Ukraine.

The hotel industry is not regulated by the legislation. For the time being, there is Resolution dated March 15, 2006, No. 297 stipulating procedures for the provision of services. The definition ‘hostel’ isn’t a legal tem yet. It entails difficulties for certification as the authorized bodies cannot assess it due to its belonging to private accommodation. The hostels’ pressing problem lies in observation of requirements in the area of security and sanitary norms corresponding to the level of conditions and servicing. The online reservation system implies full correlation of the desirable option with the actual one (virtual photos).

The participants agreed that hostels can be brought together in a single full-fledged industry as temporary dwelling for UEFA Euro-2012 fans only provided that relevant legal acts are approved. Rostislav Karandeyev urged the hostels’ owners to be insistent when communicating with authorities and suggest concrete solutions. The official promised to raise the issue at the sitting of the parliamentary commission he was to attend right after the meeting at Information Centre “Ukraine-2012”