Lviv Polytechnic National University hosted the 3rd International Scientific and Practical Forum «Hospitality Industry: State, Development Trends and Prospects of the Industry in the Context of European Integration and Military Challenges» on 23–24 April 2025. The event has already become a traditional platform for professional discussions, exchange of experience and establishment of intersectoral cooperation in the field of tourism and hospitality.
The Forum was organised by the Department of Tourism, Viacheslav Chornovil Institute of Sustainable Development, Lviv Polytechnic, which annually brings together representatives of education, government, business, culture and the security sector to discuss current challenges and prospects for the development of the Ukrainian tourism industry.
This year’s event brought together more than 30 speakers and 150 participants from different regions of Ukraine, including academics, students, tourism professionals, restaurateurs, hoteliers, representatives of state and local authorities.
The discussions focused on the restoration of the tourism industry in times of war, the development of domestic tourism, gastronomic and cultural heritage, hotel and restaurant business, inclusiveness, service, digitalisation, veteran tourism and many other issues.
The Forum was opened by Professor Sviatoslav Kniaz, Doctor of Economics, Director of the Viacheslav Chornovil Institute of Sustainable Development, who in his welcome speech stressed the importance of a systematic approach to tourism development, in particular within the framework of the sustainable development concept. He emphasised that sustainable tourism is not only about the environment, but also about preserving cultural heritage, social responsibility, community support and rational use of resources.
Professor Nataliia Shakhovska, Doctor of Technical Sciences, the Rector of Lviv Polytechnic, also addressed the participants and noted that tourism is a powerful tool for promoting Ukraine in the world, even during the war. She stressed that the university community should continue to support initiatives that shape the modern image of Ukraine as a safe, interesting and intellectually rich country.
The Forum consisted of thematic panels:
- Local Tourism: how to move the community and boost the economy;
- Hotels in the new reality: technology, hospitality and challenges;
- On the edge: restaurant service, inclusion and table culture at the sound of the siren.
Particular attention was paid to veteran tourism, tourist animation, gastronomic practices, the challenges of education during the war and the role of public and private partnerships in the restoration of tourism infrastructure.
The Department of Tourism sincerely expresses its gratitude to all the speakers, partners, participants, students, colleagues from other higher education institutions, government officials and the military for their contribution to the development of Ukrainian tourism, for their faith in the industry’s potential, and for working together for the future.
The Forum was moderated and supervised by Associate Professors at the Department of Tourism Mariia Lushchyk and Yaroslava Moskoviak.
