State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine and EIT Community Hub Ukraine Launch Official Cooperation

The State Agency for Tourism Development (SATD) and EIT Community Hub Ukraine have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to foster innovation, culture, and the tourism potential of Ukraine.

The document was signed on February 9, 2026, in Lviv during the Hotel Forum UA 2026, organized by VAN GROUP. The signatories were Mariia Oleksandrivna (Chairperson of SATD) and Ihor Markevych (Head of EIT Community Hub Ukraine).

Strategic Importance

For SATD and the Ukrainian hospitality and tourism sector, this partnership provides access to a pan-European network of innovators, researchers, and creative industries, as well as EU support tools and grant opportunities. This cooperation creates the necessary conditions to implement large-scale projects aimed at the development and transformation of the industry—even amidst the challenges of war—by leveraging the best European practices and resources.

For EIT Community Hub Ukraine, collaborating with SATD offers a systemic opportunity to support the tourism industry's growth, facilitate its innovative recovery, and represent Ukraine on the international stage as a modern, creative, and technological nation.

Key Objectives

The primary goal of the Memorandum is to establish a framework for cooperation to expand resource access and strengthen partnerships. This is intended to achieve a long-term socio-economic impact in tourism, culture, and creative industries, while solidifying Ukraine’s position as an integral part of the European cultural space.

Within the framework of this cooperation, the parties plan to:

• Implement joint projects in innovation, tourism, and hospitality.
• Provide information support and expert knowledge exchange.
• Strengthen Ukraine’s integration into the European cultural landscape.
• Facilitate financial and non-financial support for innovative solutions in the tourism sector.
• Offer consulting support regarding access to grant funding, involving EIT Community Hub Ukraine experts through SATD.

Reference Information

EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology) is a body of the European Union and an integral part of the Horizon Europe program, aimed at strengthening Europe’s innovative capacity. The Institute supports pan-European partnerships between businesses, universities, and research centers.

Through its network of Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), the EIT develops innovation ecosystems in key areas, including climate, energy, health, food security, manufacturing, digitalization, urban mobility, and culture and creative industries.