From Fishing to Millions: How Boiko Yaroslav Is Building World-Class Ukrainian Wellness Tourism

One of the standout wellness-travel trends in recent years is silent travel—immersive retreats far from city noise where guests unplug from digital devices, sit with silence, watch nature and reconnect with themselves. Psychologists note that this kind of experience reduces stress and helps restore cognitive function. As the American Psychological Association has reported, time in nature can replenish attention and even stimulate creative thinking. That’s precisely the effect at Rybatska Strelka, where the rustle of leaves and the sound of water become the chief therapists.

A flagship of wellness tourism

How to describe the place? Imagine the splash of water instead of urban traffic—and birdsong from protected species instead of phone notifications. This private countryside complex is now a flagship of Ukrainian wellness tourism. It was created by globally minded entrepreneur Boiko Yaroslav, a laureate of the International Award Alliance Top Award 2023 and XM Leader Awards 2021, where he was named “Leader of the Year.” These international honors recognize executives who deliver outstanding business results.

Located in Kyiv oblast, the center welcomes thousands of guests annually, helping them restore emotional health and lower stress through nature therapy and digital detox. This is not a niche fad—it’s part of a fast-growing global industry. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the wellness-tourism market reached $650.7 billion in 2022 and could grow to ~$1.4 trillion by 2027.

The complex includes 13 cabins, 11 pavilions, 40 fishing piers, a banya, hot tub, pools, children’s areas and a mini-zoo. The latter isn’t only for families; it also supports animal-assisted therapy, which research links to lower anxiety and improved emotional well-being, especially for children.

About the founder: Yaroslav Boiko

The project’s founder, Yaroslav Boiko, is a developer and innovator in sustainable tourism. Born and raised in Ukraine, where nature was part of everyday life, he was drawn early to entrepreneurship and event organization. The key pivot came when he realized most domestic tourism focused on entertainment while overlooking nature’s psychological and restorative power.

After building managerial expertise and working with international partners, Boiko decided to create places where people would come not just to “reset,” but to go home changed. That vision became Rybatska Strelka—an eco-location that blends local character with global wellness best practices.

Strong economics behind the experience

Under Boiko’s leadership, Rybatska Strelka has become a model of effective and socially meaningful business. As a strategist of sustainable tourism, he has achieved 100% occupancy in peak seasons; 40%+ of guests return, and about a quarter of revenue comes from corporate clients—a mark of institutional trust. The site welcomes over 10,000 visitors annually.

Boiko also designed the model to lift the local economy. All jobs are held by residents from nearby communities, and ~80% of procurement comes from local suppliers—stimulating the region and strengthening community ties.

Modern life and the art of rest

“Time in nature is not just leisure; it’s a crucial investment in our children’s health (and our own),” writes Richard Louv in Last Child in the Woods, a seminal book popularizing the psychological and physical benefits of nature contact.

This idea anchors Rybatska Strelka’s philosophy: nature is used as an active instrument for mental-health recovery. How does it work in practice?

Social impact

Rybatska Strelka is a “place of power.” Designated digital-detox zones help guests step away from endless scrolling.

On site you’ll find yoga, retreats, meditation and energy practices, led by certified instructors to reduce stress and restore emotional balance.

Even fishing becomes mindfulness—if you don’t want to catch anything, you can simply watch the lake. Observing water is known to induce a flow state, associated with lower cortisol.

“Twenty minutes in nature can reduce cortisol by 20% and kick-start a return to a resourceful state,” Boiko emphasizes.

Through nature therapy, guests switch off the internal alarm, recover from stress and learn a more intentional way to rest—where vacation isn’t escape from routine but renewal of energy.

“I arrived last fall with a phone buzzing every two minutes,” recalls Serhii P., a guest from a nearby city. “Within hours I forgot where I’d put it. I sank into the piers and the sound of water—and slept well for the first time in a year.”

“In the morning my daughter and I fed the goats in the mini-zoo and befriended the cutest rabbit,” adds returning guest Maryna S. “For kids it’s a paradise: safe, engaging—and they forget their tablets. We’ll be back.”

From local success to a global wellness brand

Boiko designed the business as a repeatable model for other regions. Rybatska Strelka is increasingly mentioned alongside international leaders such as Findhorn Ecovillage (Scotland) or Kamalaya (Thailand). The project is changing Ukraine’s leisure culture while building an export-ready product that can compete globally. Sites that embody global best practices naturally attract international tourists and investors—and this is one of the few Ukrainian locations that fits that context organically.

Already, Boiko is preparing to expand to 8 hectares, add two man-made lakes, open a farm-style restaurant and launch specialized mental-health retreats featuring art therapy, cognitive-behavioral techniques and outdoor sports. In essence, he is laying the foundation for the future of Ukrainian wellness tourism—as one of the few entrepreneurs advancing this niche at scale.

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