Co-founder of MNE Chapter, CEO, HYVÄ Coaching & Consulting
Asking myself since last week what I can do, what we all can do more... so here I'd like to start a discussion thread of ways the tourism industry can help Ukraine 💛 💙- and everyone in travel who is affected. Hands-on and real. After all, travel is about people, cultures, peace and freedom. And tech is again a great accelerator for the 🌍 to work together.
Personally, I am offering a free guest room in my home to a tourism or any other Ukraine student in need. Maybe there are more of us with a similar wish.
So far I have found these platforms / initiatives to join & support, and in travel, I'm sure there is more!
"Peace works better than conflict, and one of the best manifestations of it is in travel and tourism.” (Bill Clinton at the WTTC Global Summit in Abu Dhabi, 2013)
We talk about travel being a "force for good" but unfortunately it's no match against armed conflict. I feel that this is a moment to reflect on the precious friendships we've made on our travels (and this amazing network - all thanks to travel). Thanks for starting this conversation and I hope we can make use of our collective resources.
This conflict is dragging on much longer than its perpetrator originally calculated. Which also means that other weapons can usefully be brought into play against the RF. In travel, one such would be boycotts - meaning boycotts of hotels, festivals or events owned by oligarchs in western cities where they've invested massively in these categories - Miami, London, New York, Mediterranean resort cities.
Bulgarian hospitality industry has come together and is offering accommodation to Ukranian refugees free of charge for the next months. There's many local coordination projects and Kirsi also mentioned some Bulgarian ones. The town of Bansko, where I live in, already has the accommodation sector together offering help.
Most of the coordination is happening on Facebook groups.
Marketing & Communications, Travel Massive / Lisa Hübner Consulting
Deutsche Bahn (German rail) is offering free tickets to Ukranian refugees traveling from Poland to Germany: www.bahn.de/info/helpukraine
airbnb has also set up a host program (although they do continue to offer stays in Russia (see below) so some caution may be required): www.airbnb.org/help-ukraine
I've also seen suggestions for people to use this as a way of communicating what's happening with Russians. Sending messages to the hosts detailing what their government is up to. With media the way it is in Russia, perhaps it helps.
Perhaps you haven't read the latest news reports of the past week describing the current efforts of the RF regime to create a whole separate and internally sealed version of the internet for the population of the RF? It will be their only online access.
Are they still accessible this week? I suspect, just judging from a long series of pronouncements and actions by Putin over 20 years, that this present point was long planned and all the eventual necessities in sealing off the Russian population entirely have long been planned. From what I also read, the VPN's will also be useless in countering the planned blockage
In Belgium and in the Netherlands, local people can sign up for #Plekvrij. This is coordinated in the entire country. Personally, we can take 4-5 people at home to shelter and share the house. Maybe it is interesting for a travel professional, since we work in the region with our company. We are heartbroken by this situtation and would love to support wherever we can. (Plek Vrij = Space available)
Another significant way I believe the travel industry can help is to speak out against the discrimination against Blacks and Indians trying to leave the country. The Ukrainian Law Enforcement are practically disallowing African students and people of colour from boarding the buses and trains - and telling them to WALK instead! How can you be so committed towards racism - even during WAR? The videos are everywhere on social media - except mainstream western media that has chosen not to show these atrocities.
"Silence in the face of injustice is complicity with the oppressor"
Here is an important resource, compiled by our client Sherpa, on various countries which have indicated that they are facilitating entry or offering asylum to Ukrainian nationals. Official information is quite fragmented but this support page may be useful for those seeking to leave Ukraine. Sherpa's mission is is to help people/ travelers move freely around the world. Please share among your networks. joinsherpa.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4515544970765-Important-Information-in-Support-of-Ukrainians
Tourism, Product Development & Marketing Strategist, Uncornered Market
An example of how the tourism and hospitality sectors can step up immediately in a time of crisis can be found in Moldova. Within hours of the war starting Thursday morning, people began flowing over the border so Moldovan wineries (with accommodation), guesthouses, and other tourism businesses started mobilizing and taking in Ukrainian families (over 2,000 people in the last few days): www.instagram.com/p/CaZC6xjN4aw/ + moldova.travel/en/moldova-pentru-pace/
Wizz Air is also offering 100,000 free seats to Ukrainian refugees, which will hopefully more quickly and safely reunite families as many Ukrainians have relatives in other European countries.
I am the Founder of Ukrainian Travel Company called "Cobblestone Freeway Tours" - we have been running tours to Ukraine for over 10 years - our office in Lviv Ukraine is now a refugee camp and our team is supporting refugees from all over Ukraine. Some have gone to fight... others are making Molotov Cocktails... it's all hands on deck.
We started a foundation a few years ago to support cultural projects - we have now shifted to focus on supporting people who need our help now in Lviv and in Poland and elsewhere. You can support us here: bit.ly/3pjNNZC
Or sign up to our travel professionals newsletter here and we will continue to share information as necessary. eepurl.com/geoS-H
We have just updated our blog with the some helpful links suggested by our community if you like to donate to various organizations. (Updating continuously). We are looking into the further supporting refugees accommodation options on our MapYourCity platform, but that really does need to be a helpful addition to already available initiatives. If you own a tourist accommodation and are (considering) opening up for refugees, please let me know. mapyour.city/how-you-can-help-ukrainians-in-and-outside-of-ukraine/
Co-founder of MNE Chapter, CEO, HYVÄ Coaching & Consulting
Dear friends & colleagues, big thank you for all the resources shared here above. Here is a compiled list with these & from the members of the European Ecotourism Network (EEN), whom I alerted in our meeting last Tuesday. We have published this also on the FB group of EEN, and there are some personal reposts (copy pasted) on LinkedIn, FB, blogs... please feel free to reuse as you see fit. The hashtag #StandwithUkraine seems to be quite popular. www.facebook.com/kirsi.j.hyvaerinen/posts/1309017542937390 www.linkedin.com/posts/kirsihyvaerinen_activity-6905442669703544832-4XSY
Founder, We Said Go Travel, Travel Writer, USA Today, Wharton Business Magazine, We Said Go Travel LLC
THANK YOU for starting this thread and for all the resources listed here. I have published these 6 articles on my site with ways to help that were shared with me from people I know.
Dear all, is really ggreat to see so many inspiring initiatives.
I'll tell you what we are up to: Basically, we have been working for a while on a non commercial version of our platform fairbnb.coop , our intention was to launch it little by little at the service of communities / associations and NGOs that could help both ethical landlords and homeless / refugees, in the areas where we are already active.
The recent events have spurred us to accelerate and therefore we are now ready with a first MVP version. We don't want to just put there a map and then leave both refugees and landlords to sort themselves, we believe that solidarity needs professionals on top of volunteers and good intentions and we were petrified at the idea that tech could be use to exploit refugees if they fall in the wrong hands. So we are seeking accountable organizations that can use ( obviously for free ) our platform as a database to collect offers but to mediate with demand and needs. So our tool is first of all a tool for governments / NGOs and reputable associations. Collection of offers can be organic but management has to be mediated and safe.
According to our plans, all of this has kicked off yesterday and should culminate with the deplyment of the platform in a week or so. We are open to integrate / evolve / collaborate with similar initiative aligned with our values. It could be just co-marketing / co-branding or even deeper integration.
Any other kind of support to support the initiative is welcome.
I live in Kyiv and I would like to thank you for your support! Really nice to see that the fate of the Ukrainian people is important to so many people all over the world ❤️🇺🇦
Co-founder of MNE Chapter, CEO, HYVÄ Coaching & Consulting
It´s impossible for us to imagine what you are going through there. Sending our hopes and prayers that you, your families and friends, all the innocent people in the country and on the move stay safe. All the help that can be provided, will be.
Good Morning from Berlin there is another German Initiative from the Tourism Industry - its all about #transport, #accomodation #donation etc It is possible to book accomodation/see what is available ... it looks good. pls share it touristik-hilft.de
Hello from Budapest! Hungary has gotten more than 250,000 refugees from Ukraine so far. Does anyone know of anyone from the Ukrainian travel industry who might have come here? We would like to help others in the tourism industry in some way -- maybe by having some sort of Travel Massive meetup to show support (and see what they need), or by allowing those who might need it to use our venue as office space). We are trying to help the refugees as much as we can (we are housing a Ukrainian lady temporarily, and also holding a wine tasting fundraiser), but I'd especially like to figure out how we can help people from the tourism industry who might be here in Budapest! Any ideas? Thank you!
Co-founder of MNE Chapter, CEO, HYVÄ Coaching & Consulting
Update onto contacts & an interesting read about Nikita Balabanov who made a heroic first ascent in the Himalayas last November. Today, he is the main link between supporting outdoor brands and the war front in Ukraine. sustonmagazine.com/2022/05/27/ukraines-volunteers/
Asking myself since last week what I can do, what we all can do more... so here I'd like to start a discussion thread of ways the tourism industry can help Ukraine 💛 💙- and everyone in travel who is affected. Hands-on and real. After all, travel is about people, cultures, peace and freedom. And tech is again a great accelerator for the 🌍 to work together.
Personally, I am offering a free guest room in my home to a tourism or any other Ukraine student in need. Maybe there are more of us with a similar wish.
So far I have found these platforms / initiatives to join & support, and in travel, I'm sure there is more!
Please add in the thread if you know of any or have further ideas:
• wehelpukraine.org
• www.bg4ua.com
• elinor.network/gastfreundschaft-ukraine/
• refugees.ro
• www.supportukraine-eberswalde.de
• www.facebook.com/groups/1012497419668646/
• airbnb.org/get-involved
"Peace works better than conflict, and one of the best manifestations of it is in travel and tourism.” (Bill Clinton at the WTTC Global Summit in Abu Dhabi, 2013)
We talk about travel being a "force for good" but unfortunately it's no match against armed conflict. I feel that this is a moment to reflect on the precious friendships we've made on our travels (and this amazing network - all thanks to travel). Thanks for starting this conversation and I hope we can make use of our collective resources.
This conflict is dragging on much longer than its perpetrator originally calculated. Which also means that other weapons can usefully be brought into play against the RF. In travel, one such would be boycotts - meaning boycotts of hotels, festivals or events owned by oligarchs in western cities where they've invested massively in these categories - Miami, London, New York, Mediterranean resort cities.
I came across this article and I am glad to share it here:
www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/ways-to-help-ukraine-conflict/
Bulgarian hospitality industry has come together and is offering accommodation to Ukranian refugees free of charge for the next months. There's many local coordination projects and Kirsi also mentioned some Bulgarian ones. The town of Bansko, where I live in, already has the accommodation sector together offering help.
Most of the coordination is happening on Facebook groups.
Help for Ukraine in Bulgaria:
• www.facebook.com/events/637387864226944
• www.facebook.com/groups/338927668246444
Just published - a platform offering accommodation listings for Ukranian refugees:
www.host4ukraine.com
Hello. Thanks for sharing this info. Adding another platform that is helping refugees find accommodation:
www.eu4ua.org
Deutsche Bahn (German rail) is offering free tickets to Ukranian refugees traveling from Poland to Germany:
www.bahn.de/info/helpukraine
airbnb has also set up a host program (although they do continue to offer stays in Russia (see below) so some caution may be required):
www.airbnb.org/help-ukraine
Airbnb is also still profiting off of listings in Russia. Not sure how I feel about that.
Fair point - bit of a double standard perhaps while many travel companies are cancelling trips to Russia
I've also seen suggestions for people to use this as a way of communicating what's happening with Russians. Sending messages to the hosts detailing what their government is up to. With media the way it is in Russia, perhaps it helps.
Airbnb suspends all operations in Russia and Belarus:
techcrunch.com/2022/03/04/airbnb-suspends-all-operations-in-russia-and-belarus/
Good job Airbnb! Glad to see they came around.
Perhaps you haven't read the latest news reports of the past week describing the current efforts of the RF regime to create a whole separate and internally sealed version of the internet for the population of the RF? It will be their only online access.
Yes I've read that. For now though you can still reach Russians. Many are also using VPNs.
Are they still accessible this week? I suspect, just judging from a long series of pronouncements and actions by Putin over 20 years, that this present point was long planned and all the eventual necessities in sealing off the Russian population entirely have long been planned. From what I also read, the VPN's will also be useless in countering the planned blockage
I still see quite a few Russians posting on Instagram through VPNs.
World Central Kitchen wck.org Serving meals to thousands of families fleeing Ukrania.
In Belgium and in the Netherlands, local people can sign up for #Plekvrij. This is coordinated in the entire country. Personally, we can take 4-5 people at home to shelter and share the house. Maybe it is interesting for a travel professional, since we work in the region with our company. We are heartbroken by this situtation and would love to support wherever we can. (Plek Vrij = Space available)
Another significant way I believe the travel industry can help is to speak out against the discrimination against Blacks and Indians trying to leave the country. The Ukrainian Law Enforcement are practically disallowing African students and people of colour from boarding the buses and trains - and telling them to WALK instead! How can you be so committed towards racism - even during WAR? The videos are everywhere on social media - except mainstream western media that has chosen not to show these atrocities.
"Silence in the face of injustice is complicity with the oppressor"
I totally agree with you, and I've seen these reports too. Are there any support networks for these students or initiatives we can support?
There seems to be an initiative called @blackpeopleintheukraine (instagram) this is their website with helpful tips africansleavingukraine.com
Here is an important resource, compiled by our client Sherpa, on various countries which have indicated that they are facilitating entry or offering asylum to Ukrainian nationals. Official information is quite fragmented but this support page may be useful for those seeking to leave Ukraine. Sherpa's mission is is to help people/ travelers move freely around the world. Please share among your networks. joinsherpa.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4515544970765-Important-Information-in-Support-of-Ukrainians
An example of how the tourism and hospitality sectors can step up immediately in a time of crisis can be found in Moldova. Within hours of the war starting Thursday morning, people began flowing over the border so Moldovan wineries (with accommodation), guesthouses, and other tourism businesses started mobilizing and taking in Ukrainian families (over 2,000 people in the last few days): www.instagram.com/p/CaZC6xjN4aw/ + moldova.travel/en/moldova-pentru-pace/
Hospitality for Ukraine will be database of accommodation providers who can host refugees fleeing Ukraine: staythenight.net/hospitality-for-ukraine/
Wizz Air is also offering 100,000 free seats to Ukrainian refugees, which will hopefully more quickly and safely reunite families as many Ukrainians have relatives in other European countries.
I am the Founder of Ukrainian Travel Company called "Cobblestone Freeway Tours" - we have been running tours to Ukraine for over 10 years - our office in Lviv Ukraine is now a refugee camp and our team is supporting refugees from all over Ukraine. Some have gone to fight... others are making Molotov Cocktails... it's all hands on deck.
We started a foundation a few years ago to support cultural projects - we have now shifted to focus on supporting people who need our help now in Lviv and in Poland and elsewhere. You can support us here: bit.ly/3pjNNZC
Or sign up to our travel professionals newsletter here and we will continue to share information as necessary.
eepurl.com/geoS-H
Thank you 🙏
flixbus is offering free busrides / hoping that online registration will be doable for people on the run
corporate.flixbus.com/flixbus-supports-ukraine/
We have just updated our blog with the some helpful links suggested by our community if you like to donate to various organizations. (Updating continuously). We are looking into the further supporting refugees accommodation options on our MapYourCity platform, but that really does need to be a helpful addition to already available initiatives. If you own a tourist accommodation and are (considering) opening up for refugees, please let me know.
mapyour.city/how-you-can-help-ukrainians-in-and-outside-of-ukraine/
Initiative of German travel trade associations: www.hsma.de/de/touristikhilft
Hospitality helps: hospitality-helps.org
Here's another initiative currently in the works: staythenight.net/hospitality-for-ukraine/
Dear friends & colleagues,
big thank you for all the resources shared here above.
Here is a compiled list with these & from the members of the European Ecotourism Network (EEN), whom I alerted in our meeting last Tuesday.
We have published this also on the FB group of EEN, and there are some personal reposts (copy pasted) on LinkedIn, FB, blogs... please feel free to reuse as you see fit.
The hashtag #StandwithUkraine seems to be quite popular.
www.facebook.com/kirsi.j.hyvaerinen/posts/1309017542937390
www.linkedin.com/posts/kirsihyvaerinen_activity-6905442669703544832-4XSY
v-i-r.de/2022/02/28/touristikhilft-eine-initiative-deutscher-verbaende-im-tourismus/
A list of german initiatives can be found here
THANK YOU for starting this thread and for all the resources listed here.
I have published these 6 articles on my site with ways to help that were shared with me from people I know.
This first one is from a guide from Insight Travels
Tim Pendlebury helping refugees at the border:
www.wesaidgotravel.com/you-can-help-rescue-the-refugees-at-the-ukrainian-border/
Hamantashen for HOPE and more ways to HELP the Ukraine
www.wesaidgotravel.com/hamantashen-for-hope-and-more-ways-to-help-the-ukraine/
#StandWithUkraine GoFundMe with Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Airbnb and Flexport
www.wesaidgotravel.com/how-to-help-the-people-of-the-ukraine-standwithukraine-mila-kunis-ashton-kutcher/
Ukraine media: gofundme
www.wesaidgotravel.com/you-can-help-keep-ukraines-media-going/
Russia Ukraine War: ways to help
www.wesaidgotravel.com/russia-ukraine-war-info-and-ways-to-help/
Rabbi Yoshi and Stephen Wise Temple --how to help the Jews in the Ukraine
jewishjournal.com/commentary/blogs/345612/ways-to-help-the-ukraine-from-rabbi-yoshi-zweiback-stephen-wise-temple/
Dear all, is really ggreat to see so many inspiring initiatives.
I'll tell you what we are up to:
Basically, we have been working for a while on a non commercial version of our platform fairbnb.coop , our intention was to launch it little by little at the service of communities / associations and NGOs that could help both ethical landlords and homeless / refugees, in the areas where we are already active.
The recent events have spurred us to accelerate and therefore we are now ready with a first MVP version.
We don't want to just put there a map and then leave both refugees and landlords to sort themselves, we believe that solidarity needs professionals on top of volunteers and good intentions and we were petrified at the idea that tech could be use to exploit refugees if they fall in the wrong hands. So we are seeking accountable organizations that can use ( obviously for free ) our platform as a database to collect offers but to mediate with demand and needs. So our tool is first of all a tool for governments / NGOs and reputable associations. Collection of offers can be organic but management has to be mediated and safe.
According to our plans, all of this has kicked off yesterday and should culminate with the deplyment of the platform in a week or so.
We are open to integrate / evolve / collaborate with similar initiative aligned with our values. It could be just co-marketing / co-branding or even deeper integration.
Any other kind of support to support the initiative is welcome.
All info here : fairbnb.coop/refugees/
in cooperation.
I live in Kyiv and I would like to thank you for your support! Really nice to see that the fate of the Ukrainian people is important to so many people all over the world ❤️🇺🇦
It´s impossible for us to imagine what you are going through there. Sending our hopes and prayers that you, your families and friends, all the innocent people in the country and on the move stay safe. All the help that can be provided, will be.
Thanks a lot, Kirsi!
Good Morning from Berlin
there is another German Initiative from the Tourism Industry - its all about #transport, #accomodation #donation etc
It is possible to book accomodation/see what is available ... it looks good. pls share it
touristik-hilft.de
Hello from Budapest! Hungary has gotten more than 250,000 refugees from Ukraine so far. Does anyone know of anyone from the Ukrainian travel industry who might have come here? We would like to help others in the tourism industry in some way -- maybe by having some sort of Travel Massive meetup to show support (and see what they need), or by allowing those who might need it to use our venue as office space). We are trying to help the refugees as much as we can (we are housing a Ukrainian lady temporarily, and also holding a wine tasting fundraiser), but I'd especially like to figure out how we can help people from the tourism industry who might be here in Budapest! Any ideas? Thank you!
Interesting article:
How the Travel Industry Is Supporting Ukraine:
www.travelpulse.com/news/impacting-travel/how-the-travel-industry-is-supporting-ukraine.html
Hi Maria, please double check the link. I get an 504 error.
The link does not work now for me either, it was ok before. Maybe they removed the article...
Now it works :=)
Updates: A list of Ukrainian businesses to support: www.safetydetectives.com/blog/supporting-ukrainian-businesses-charities/ and in Germany, this one is well known and widely published: www.aktion-deutschland-hilft.de/de/hilfseinsaetze/nothilfe-ukraine/
Thanks for these updates!
Update onto contacts & an interesting read about Nikita Balabanov who made a heroic first ascent in the Himalayas last November. Today, he is the main link between supporting outdoor brands and the war front in Ukraine. sustonmagazine.com/2022/05/27/ukraines-volunteers/