Is War Tourism Ethical? Insights from Ukraine’s Local Guides

Tourism and tragedy. Curiosity and conflict. Cameras and casualties.

When you think of tourism, you think of beaches, cathedrals, or mountaintops — not trenches, sirens, and ruined homes. And yet, every week, foreigners travel to Ukraine in search of something much deeper: truth, solidarity, and perspective.

This raises a question that has sparked debates across media, forums, and even dinner tables:

Is war tourism ethical?

As a Ukrainian project working with visitors since 2022, here’s what we believe — and what we’ve learned.

🧭 1. It Depends on the Intention

Not all visitors come for the same reasons. Some arrive to document, others to witness, and some just to “say they were here.”

Intent matters.

If you come to listen, to learn, to reflect — you are not exploiting the war. You are helping to preserve its memory and understand its human cost.

If you come for photos, without context or respect — you risk turning trauma into entertainment.

War tourism is not about watching suffering. It’s about understanding survival.

🤝 2. Ukrainians Choose to Tell Their Story

Every location we visit is either:

• Publicly accessible

• Rebuilt or memorialized

• Presented with local approval or participation

We work with:

• Veterans

• Historians

• Survivors

• Cultural curators

We do not visit frontline trenches. We do not approach grieving families. We do not treat destruction as a spectacle.

Our tours are not about danger. They are about dignity.

🧠 3. Witnessing Builds Memory. Memory Builds Resistance.

In Ukraine, the very act of remembering is resistance.

When you walk through Irpin with someone who lived through the occupation — you’re not “just touring.” You’re helping the world remember what happened.

In a world of disinformation and denial, your presence is a message:

“I saw it. I was there. I can tell the truth.”

🕊️ 4. Ethical War Tourism Is Possible — If You Follow These Principles:

✔️ Go with a local guide or project that works with survivors
✔️ Ask questions, don’t assume
✔️ Avoid sensationalism
✔️ Learn the context before taking photos
✔️ Spend money locally — support recovery
✔️ Be emotionally ready to listen

You don’t need to be perfect. Just present and respectful.

💬 What Ukrainians Say

“I want people to see this. Not because I want pity, but because I want justice.” — Halyna, guide in Bucha

“When I see foreigners cry at the Wall of Remembrance, I feel like our grief matters to the world.” — Oleh, combat medic

📌 We Invite You to Come — With Care

War is not over. But neither is our life.

By visiting Ukraine respectfully, you help:

• Counter disinformation

• Support local economies

• Amplify real stories

• Build solidarity

Ethical war tourism is not only possible. In Ukraine, in 2025 — it is necessary.