Charge d' Affaires, Sheila S. Gwaltney
Remarks at the Delta Airlines Inaugural Flight Ceremony
June 2, 2006
Boryspil International Airport
Thank you Mr. Whitehurst and Mr. Lypovenko for your kind remarks.
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, we are very excited to welcome Delta Airlines as the first U.S. Flag Carrier to enter the Ukrainian market. Delta's new service between Kyiv and New York will stimulate the fast-growing business, cultural, and educational ties between our two countries.
The U.S. Department of Commerce reported an impressive growth in Ukrainian travelers to the U.S. of 12,000 in 2002 to just over 24,000 in 2005. That's a 100% increase, the highest rate of growth among Eastern European countries. Solid economic growth in Ukraine has ignited the development of a middle class. Of 16.5 million Ukrainians who traveled to other countries in 2005, more than 2.8 million (17%) traveled for tourism.
Private visits dominate Ukrainian travel to the USA, given the large Ukrainian Diaspora located around the United States. Approximately 35% of Ukrainian visitors claim their trips as business and approximately 25% travel as tourists.
Delta's excellent connections from its JFK Hub will make it more convenient and comfortable for Ukrainian visitors to reach U.S. destinations.
U.S. travelers to Ukraine total more than 70,000 per year. With the dramatic increases in investment and trade between our countries - the U.S. has provided approximately $1.4 billion in foreign direct investment and bilateral trade has doubled since 2001, reaching more than $1.6 billion in 2005. We hope this bilateral commercial engagement will continue to grow. In addition, more Americans are discovering Ukraine as an attractive tourist destination.
I congratulate Delta on its vision to enter this market and region. I want to thank the Ukraine State Aviation Administration and the administration of Boryspil International Airport for making this new service possible. We look forward to seeing even stronger ties between Ukrainians and Americans as more and more travelers personally get to know one another's countries. Thank you.