Boryslav is a city with a deep-rooted industrial soul built on oil. For decades, this potential remained untapped. The Agency for Territorial Initiatives (ATI) helped the city rediscover its identity, turning industrial landmarks into symbols of pride and local economic growth.
The Challenge: From Transit Point to Destination
Prior to 2019, Boryslav sat in the shadow of its famous neighbors—the spa resorts of Truskavets and Skhidnytsia. The Agency for Territorial Initiatives was tasked not with competing with these wellness hubs, but with creating a complementary experience. We needed to answer one question: “Why should a tourist leave their resort to visit Boryslav?”
The Strategy: "It All Started with Oil"
We built the city’s positioning around its greatest historical asset: its industrial legacy. Boryslav was the birthplace of industrial oil distillation, a fact we turned into the foundation of the brand.
Strategic Pillars of the Project:
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Branding & Visual Identity: Developing a recognizable style that bridges history with a modern, forward-looking aesthetic.
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Spatial Transformation: Repurposing oil pumps (pumpjacks) from mere infrastructure into vibrant street art and primary photo landmarks.
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Regional Integration: Positioning Boryslav as the premier "short-visit" location for thousands of regional tourists.
Key Milestones
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The Johann Zeh Pharmacy-Museum: Working with the community, we launched a flagship location dedicated to the inventor of paraffin/kerosene distillation. It’s more than a museum; it’s an immersive brand experience that makes history tangible.
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"Open Air" Initiative: Winning the National Community Budget allowed the city to build a high-ropes course and an outdoor cinema. This expanded Boryslav’s appeal to families and created new weekend foot traffic.
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Industrial Tourism: We leveraged oil heritage as a communication tool. Today, Boryslav tells the story of the energy that changed the world.
The Impact
The implementation of ATI’s strategy allowed Boryslav to:
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Break the "Transit" Cycle: The city is now a deliberate destination on the regional tourism map.
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Attract Investment: Strategic infrastructure development (TICs, museums, parks) has become a magnet for new business initiatives.
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Engage the Community: By involving residents in the process, we fostered a deep sense of local ownership and pride.
Boryslav today is a textbook example of how strategic branding and sharp positioning can turn industrial relics into a new engine for community prosperity.
ATI Project Team: Ihor Chava, Oleksiy Malytskyy, Yevhen Zahnitko.