Source: Kryvyi Rih City Council
An international forum “Economic Transformation of Industrial Cities through Tourism Development” takes place in Kryvyi Rih as part of the “Industrial Culture Week” project.
Kryvyi Rih is a unique place in Europe where tourists can plunge into the atmosphere of operating industrial enterprises. In 2013, Mayor Yurii Vikul came forward with an initiative to create “Industrial Tourism Development Program”. Its aim was to create an up-to-date tourism infrastructure, to position Kryvyi Rih as an industrial tourism center, to promote its industrial objects, to create new employment opportunities, and most importantly, to improve the city’s image. The Kryvyi Rih citizens shared their success stories with the forum’s participants.
Kryvyi Rih Mayor Yurii Vilkul, Senior Governance Advisor of “Partnership for Local Economic Development and Democratic Governance” Project (PLEDDG) Kadie Ward, representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine, the Association “National Tourism Organization of Ukraine”, directors of industrial enterprises, and tourism sector leading experts coming from 15 Ukrainian cities took part in hospitality events. These are Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Berdyansk, Myrhorod, and other cities with a longstanding tourism history and great experience in creation and promotion of tourism products.
At the opening of the forum, Mayor Yurii Vilkul said that Kryvyi Rih had powerful positive growth dynamics despite that it had actually emerged on our country’s tourism map 6 years ago only. The number of tourists was increasing from year to year by 30-50%.
“For over two years, we have taken part in 4 international exhibitions. The industrial tourism presentation of Kryvyi Rih within Ukraine’s unified National stand at Shanghai’s exhibition was a landmark event. Kryvyi Rih, Kyiv, Odesa, and Lviv were in China on behalf of Ukraine”, – Vilkul said.
And as soon as tomorrow, a mega-festival “Industrial Culture Night” starts in our city. This is a festival dedicated to the city’s industry and is one-of-a kind in Ukraine.
The festival’s program includes educational and entertainment events, exhibitions, masterclasses, and quizzes on industrial themes.
For the record:
The growth rate of sightseers in Kryvyi Rih by years:
– 2014 – 7500 persons.
– 2015 – 10063 persons (growth by 34.2%)
– 2016 – 25848 persons (growth – by 2.5%)
– 2017 – 35244 persons (growth – by 36.3%)
– 2018 – 50745 persons (growth – by 44%)
–first half year 2019 – 34961 persons (compared to the first half of 2018, growth – by 36.3%)
