Children's camps
Summer camps for children of military personnel: an AITO initiative in partnership with ECTAA, SRF and other European associations
Despite all the challenges of the war, the Association of Incoming Tour Operators of Ukraine (AITO) continues to work to ensure that Ukraine remains in the focus of attention of the international tourism community and to generate pent-up tourism demand. We are confident that the tourism industry will play an important role in rebuilding Ukraine's economy after the Victory.
However, today, in times of war, our civic duty is not only to work in the interests of the industry, but also to contribute to the victory and support of the military. That is why, in addition to its main activity, AITO, together with ECTAA (European Association of Travel Agencies and Tour Operators), SRF (Swedish Travel Industry Association) and other ECTAA members, is organizing a pan-European project of summer camps for Ukrainian children, in particular children of military personnel. The initiative is implemented in cooperation with the New Hope Travel Industry Children's Fund .
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, thousands of Ukrainian children have experienced the consequences of the war - the loss of relatives, forced displacement, life in conditions of constant stress. For many of them, the war continues not only on the front, but also in their families, because their parents are defending Ukraine. The goal of our project is to give these children the opportunity to have a safe vacation abroad, to let them feel support, care and the opportunity to simply be children.
The first camp was already held in Sweden from June 18 to 27, 2024, at the initiative of SRF. A group of Ukrainian children traveled through Poland and the Baltic Sea to Stockholm, where they had the opportunity to take a break from the war, get acquainted with the country's culture, and feel the support of the Swedish community.
In 2025, AITO, together with European partners, is expanding the project. It is planned to organize even more camps in different European countries to help more Ukrainian children, especially children of military personnel. The number of camps and their locations will depend on the amount of funds raised and the support of the tourism business.
We call on all partners to support this initiative and contribute to the fundraising. Every contribution counts! You can support the initiative by following the link or by scanning the QR code under the photo gallery from the trip.
Together we will give Ukrainian children a summer full of joy, warmth, and new experiences!
