There is no problem accommodating visitors to UEFA final matches in Kyiv – Kyiv city state administration
Media reports about the critical lack of accommodations for visitors of the UEFA Champions League final matches in Kyiv are exaggerated, Head of Kyiv City State Administration's Tourism Department Anton Taranenko has said.
"There is really no problem putting up fans, because 70% are coming to a match for one day and will leave Kyiv by charter flights," Taranenko said on his Facebook page on May 5.
He added that costs for overnight accommodations have been hiked exponentially, but said city officials have already taken necessary measures.
"Yesterday [on May 4] we sent a letter to the Kyiv office of the State Fiscal Service and other offices asking them to check accommodations being offered for exorbitant rates during the championship matches. We addressed payment of a tourist fee," he said.
Taranenko said city officials are creating camping grounds on Trukhaniv Island. The number of applications has already reached 100, he said. In addition, a meeting is planned this week for city officials to discuss the situation.
Kyiv's representative on issues involving UEFA Andriy Miroshnychenko said Kyiv six months ago fulfilled all federation demands for reserving accommodations. He said prices were hiked 30-40%, which is less than usual in Europe.
"Neither Kyiv City State Administration nor the Football Federation of Ukraine has received any complaints from clubs, although this week there has been a meeting with Liverpool and Real representations. The clubs said 20,000 fans will fly to Kyiv for one day," Miroshnychenko said on his Facebook page.
He added all Kyiv hotels have rented rooms at reasonable rates for the UEFA championship dates.
"The lack of free rooms means one thing: supply has equaled demand," he said, adding that a special reserve fund of low cost hotels would be made available to British tourist agencies.
Taranenko, in turn, said Kyiv residents have also offered to help accommodate visiting football fans by renting rooms at a reasonable rate, such as Airbnb, as well as creating a group that would put off fans free of charge at their homes.
