Polissia has everything the modern traveller could want: rivers and lakes, forests, distinctive traditions, local cuisine and crafts, and the stories of the people who preserve this heritage. The challenge lies in combining these elements to create a cohesive product that benefits the region, its businesses, and communities.

The “Polissia.Reboot: Creating an Economic Community” initiative, implemented with the support of the Swiss-Ukrainian “Ukrain’s Cohesion and Regional Development” (UCORD) project as part of the “Renaissance Clusters” grant programme, focuses precisely on this.

Its team is researching and reconsidering the cultural, natural and tourism potential of the Volyn Polissia region, and fostering cooperation between communities, entrepreneurs, hospitality establishments, craftspeople and producers of local goods.

The project aims to establish a shared brand for Polissia, as well as a collaborative working model amongst its participants. Plans include launching a website to bring together local producers, accommodation and dining options, and developing tourist itineraries combining natural sites with the region’s living history and local produce.

Liubeshiv community already has plenty to offer tourists: the Stokhid and Prypiat rivers, lakes, forests, architectural landmarks, traditions and crafts. Visitors can explore local museums and cultural venues, sample craft teas and pastyla made from local ingredients, and learn about traditional cheese-making.

The Prypiat-Stokhid National Nature Park is an important part of the future tourism offering. Its floodplains, meadows and reed beds are home to landscapes that remain unspoilt. Any tourism development here must take place in harmony with nature, not at its expense.

The Volyn Regional Development Agency is facilitating collaboration between the authorities, the business community, civil society, experts and international partners. After all, a cluster begins with trust and a willingness to work together, not with a logo or a tourist route.

The project “Polissia. Reboot: Creating an Economic Community” is implemented by the NGO “Misto. Reboot” as part of the UCORD “Renaissance Clusters” grant programme. The programme supports cultural and cultural-tourism partnerships that promote regional development, strengthen the local economy and foster social cohesion.

The Swiss-Ukrainian “Ukraine’s Cohesion and Regional Development” (UCORD) Project is implemented with the support of Switzerland, through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, by NIRAS Sweden AB.