The State Tax Service of Ukraine is working to ensure that more communities introduce a tourist tax. Because this is money that works specifically for the development of communities.
This was noted by the head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine Lesya Karnaukh during a meeting with the Head of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine Natalia Tabaka.
Lesya Karnaukh noted that today Ukrainians were increasingly choosing to travel around Ukraine. Because it is not only about recreation, but also about the development of domestic tourism.
But there is another important thing that few people think about. The tourist tax that we pay when we stay in hotels or estates. These are the funds that remain in communities and go to their development.
“According to the results of the first half of 2026, local budgets received UAH 174.9 million in tourist tax. The growth compared to last year is 22.6%. In total, more than 6.1 thousand payers paid the tourist tax,” added Lesya Karnaukh.
She emphasized that the potential for revenue from the tourist tax was far from exhausted. Therefore, the State Tax Service is looking for new mechanisms for close interaction with local authorities and representatives of the tourism industry. In the context of decentralization, it is communities that should be most interested in expanding the circle of tax agents and increasing revenues that will work for the development of local tourism infrastructure.
“Because when, according to experts, 20-30% of the market works in the “shadow” – this means that communities do not receive enough funds to implement their own projects,” said the head of the State Tax Service.
She said that the State Tax Service had recently launched a pilot project to improve the administration of the tourist tax in four communities of Khmelnytskyi and Chernivtsi regions. This involves regular data exchange, joint analytics, explanatory work, methodological support, and the creation of an efficiency monitoring system.
“And I know that other communities have already shown interest in this experience. Because it is primarily their money. Therefore, we are working to reduce the number of communities that have not yet introduced a tourist tax. After all, today they account for almost a third of the total number,” she added.
The Tax Service seeks to help communities make this process as transparent as possible. Qualitative analytics, information on accrued and paid amounts, tax debt, benefits, overpayments, and other indicators are what they are always ready to provide to communities.
The head of the State Tax Service noted that it was important that everyone who provided temporary accommodation services worked according to the same rules. This is not just a matter of taxes. This is fair competition, support for honest business, and additional resources for community development. And there, cooperation is very important. (State Tax Service)