Crisis management in tourism under martial law: the experience of Ukraine

Abstract

The article examines the theoretical foundations and practical implementation of crisis management strategies within Ukraine`s tourism and hospitality sectors under the martial law. The authors analyse the evolution of crisis phenomena in the Ukrainian tourism market, starting from the 2004 Orange Revolution to the COVID-19 pandemic, which served as a crucial precursor for developing mechanisms to handle force majeure circumstances, such as funds deposition and voucher systems. A significant part of the study is dedicated to the systematic analysis of state-level stabilization measures introduced after February 24, 2022, including the closure of airspace, currency market restrictions, and the inclusion of tourism services in the list of critical imports. The study includes the analysis of the main government management decisions for 2022-2025 that have affected the tourism and hospitality industry. The article categorizes the adaptation strategies of the hospitality industry based on geographic and functional criteria. The author highlights the significant segmentation of hospitality enterprises since 2022. The research further explores the resilience of tour operators who survived the crisis by expanding into international markets, opening offices in neighbouring EU countries, and launching bus-based charter programs from European airports. The study provides statistical evidence of the sector’s recovery, noting a 41% increase in tax revenues from accommodation facilities in the first half of 2025 compared to 2024, despite an 85% drop in international arrivals. The findings suggest that the Ukrainian experience of crisis management, characterized by extreme flexibility, real-time booking adjustments, and service diversification, provides a unique model for the global tourism industry facing potential recessions or regional conflicts. The main achievement of study is the systematization of all the anti-crisis instruments in travel industry of Ukraine on the state and enterprise levels since full-scale invasion. The author emphasises the actuality of future studies as new successful examples of anti-crisis management measures for travel companies keep emerging.