Representatives of fans' organizations in the countries that will participate in the Euro 2012 European Football Championship have praised Ukrainians' hospitality but complained about overpriced hotels in the country.
"Many German fans are prejudiced against Ukraine. Our trip showed that everything is not so bad. We arrived at the border checkpoint on Sunday morning, so there were not many cars there. We crossed the border in 20 minutes, we appreciated the friendliness of customs employees, they spoke English, the roads are in a normal condition, and we will recommend traveling to Ukraine by car. Now we can pass this information to our fans," Head of the German Fanprojekt Berlin Ralf Busch said at a press conference in Kyiv on March 20.
"It’s worth staying in Ukraine longer, instead of just flying to the match and returning home after it. The people are friendly here, the cities are beautiful, and we like being here. We will recommend that fans stay here longer," he said.
At the same time, Busch said German supporters are not used to living in camps, unlike Dutch and Swedish fans, so accommodation in hotels is very important for them.
"Unfortunately, many hotels significantly increased prices and many people could decide not to travel [to Ukraine] due to this," he said.
"Kyiv is an amazing city and I am happy to be here. I was pleased by the airport, the registration procedure, it was much more convenient and faster than two years ago, when I was here. This is very important, as the first impression from the country can be decisive for a person," a representative of the British Football Supporters Federation, Ken Malley, said.
He noted that English fans had a bad reputation in 80s and 90s, but the situation has changed.
"The people that will come from England to see Euro 2012 will travel for a holiday. They will enjoy the local beer and food. And it seems to me that Ukrainians will be happy to meet them," Malley said.
He said fewer English supporters would travel to Ukraine for Euro 2012 than for previous tournaments, as "people simply cannot afford such expensive hotels and flights inside the country."
"I like that the people here are open and friendly and, of course, I recommend Ukraine as a place that should be visited," a member of the Camp Sweden organization, Ola Sjostedt, said.
"I have been travelling to Ukraine and Poland a lot in recent years and my main impression is that the people are very hospitable here. I would recommend European fans not to be afraid of contacting people, socializing with them, and I would also recommend local people to communicate actively with guest fans," Thomas Gassler, coordinator of the Fans’ Embassy project, said.
