The activity of the Ukrainian society for friendship and cultural relations with foreign countries on the reception of foreign tourists (1959 - 1991)

The article is devoted to the activity of the Ukrainian Society of Friendship and Cultural Relations with foreign countries (USFCR) in servicing foreign tourists during 1959-1991. The purpose of the Society is to develop and strengthen friendship and business relations, mutual understanding, confidence and cultural cooperation between Ukrainian people and people from other foreign countries. The society served 16% of all foreign tourists visiting Ukraine. Of this number, 86 % of tourists arrived from socialist countries, 11 % came from capitalist countries and 3 % were from developing countries. Czechia, Germany, Bulgaria, Poland and Hungary were active tourist suppliers among socialist countries. Tourists arrived on the delegations, within a specialized tour groups, friendship and peace trains. Friendship trains represented mass package tours of nationals with professional purposes and were a unique form of interethnic contacts socialist countries. Ukrainian emigration representatives consisted 60 % of tourist from capitalist countries, served by USFCR. The most productive society relations were relations with the United Association of Ukrainian Canadians, Working Mutual Aid Society, Carpatho-Russian Canadian Society, American Ukrainians League and the newspaper „Gromadsky golos”. Working with tourists and delegates USFCR used such forms as organization of solemn assemblies and friendship evening parties, concerts, meetings, specialty conversations; visiting enterprises, collective farms, cultural and educational and medical establishments, universities and schools. Leaders of manufacture, heads of ministries and departments, scientists, writers, artists, composers, teachers, doctors and others were engaged to the work with tourists. Positive reviews of delegation members, letters which they sent after returning home, their speech in the press about staying in the republic were the evidence of Society’s effectiveness. All this contributed to the formation of positive international image of Ukraine.