Journey into the heart of Europe

From the tranquillity of farmsteads and Soviet nostalgia to postmodernism and unique industries — Belarus unites centuries into a single tourist route

Belarus’ intangible ability to make every guest feel truly welcome on our land remains its main asset in the field of tourism. Here, as hundreds of years ago, you can hear the roar of bison in ancient oak forests, while modern industrial giants — MAZ and BELAZ trucks — are ‘born’ in workshops. The aroma of crispy draniki [potato pancakes], sausage and cheese waft from the open windows of farmsteads, and regional festivals are no less fascinating than noisy concerts in the capital’s stadiums… The hospitality of Belarus is measured not so much by the stars of hotels as by the sincerity of smiles and a quality rare in the 21st century — authenticity of experiences.

Tourists in Grodno                 Andrei Primachek 

Window to nature

More than seven million Belarusians today live in cities. Therefore, many of them increasingly seek to escape the urban concrete jungles into wild nature in their free time. Geographical proximity (all within the native country), affordable prices, a wealth of impressions and quality relaxation are available all at once. This combination is in great demand as the regions provide corresponding offers.
Thus, the Pripyatsky National Park is ready to offer many green holiday scenarios. Relic oak forests, floodplain meadows, archaic swamps… The Pripyat River valley, neighbouring the Ubort and Stviga rivers, is a space of unique natural complexes: 89,000 hectares in pristine condition! This opens up limitless opportunities for the development of destinations designed for a wide variety of tourists.
Park complex, museum excursions, river trips with sightseeing of the surrounding attractions, a safari park with wild animals, the Turov meadow (a Mecca for ornithologists famous throughout Europe) — this is already a classic in the context of the Pripyatsky National Park. New points of attraction of the national park in recent years have become non-trivial eco-routes with full immersion. There are more than 20 of them here, not counting water and river excursions.
Every year, the sites of the Pripyatsky National Park receive about 100,000 guests from Belarus and other countries. Compared to the figures of a decade ago, the growth is multiple. This is the case when successfully developing ecotourism becomes one of the cornerstones of the regional economy and people’s prosperity.
Tourism has always been a dynamic sphere that responds vividly to internal and external changes. Therefore, it is necessary to regulate this industry in a timely manner in order to maintain a grip and ensure high-quality development. On September 10th, the President of Belarus signed a decree On Improving State Administration in Tourism. The document defines the main tasks for the next five years: increasing the industry’s contribution to the country’s economy by almost two times and achieving a share in GDP of at least 4.5 percent in 2030.

Park complex at Pripyatsky National Park

Welcoming guests across the year 

To attract foreign tourists and develop domestic tourism, Belarus has recently begun dedicating each month to a specific type of holiday. “One of the key areas is agro-ecotourism. Today, the country has more than 1,300 farmsteads involved in this business,” noted Dmitry Morozov, Director of the National Tourism Agency. “In addition, industrial tourism is actively developing. There are around 120 enterprises offering production tours.”
Medical tourism and sanatorium treatment occupy a special niche. It is no secret that Belarusian health resorts are in demand among both foreign guests and locals. Event tourism is also showing growth. The agency confirmed this with an example,

“August, the month of event tourism, brought more than 273,000 tourists to Belarus, attracted by over 220 diverse events.

From large-scale festivals and concerts showcasing the rich cultural heritage to dynamic sporting competitions and informative exhibitions — the event tourism programme provided guests with a wide range of entertainment. By holding months dedicated to specific types of tourism, we see that all areas find their tourists.”
In the context of working with young people, special attention is paid to the development of extreme and active recreation, including bicycle tours, kayaking, hiking, parachuting and quad biking. 
Overall, Belarusian tourism is becoming multi-faceted and keeping pace with global trends.

belta

In search of the scarlet flower

The Chairman of the Board of the Republican Union of Tourism Industry (RUTI), Filipp Guly, has added that along with the many advantages that Belarus has for the development of tourism, there are also areas that require more in-depth work. A common mistake businesses make is that they start from locations and products instead of the needs of the customer. “We have neither mountains, nor sea, nor pyramids, nor the Eiffel Tower. Yet, we have something that is scarce in the world and truly valuable. Safety, order and cleanliness — many people underestimate this and take it for granted, which is a mistake. For tourists from Moscow and Saint Petersburg, the logistics are always convenient, which is of no small importance. And let’s not forget the architectural and historical aspect, which is essential for the EAEU market and friendly countries,” emphasised Filipp Guly.
Filipp Guly is confident that the integration of creative industry products into tourist products will increase. This applies to fashion, perfumery, as well as gastronomy, “The demand for original, high-quality and natural products from local sites has always been there, and its increasing demand is a global trend. The sacred task of any journey is to bring back something that is only available where you have been, to surprise those who have not been there, thereby adding uniqueness to your journey. This means that classic materials and products must be transformed into original authenticity, while still conforming to trends.”

DIRECT SPEECH

Irina Voronovich, Director of Tourism Department at Belarus’ Sports and Tourism Ministry,
“Travelling within our native country is becoming increasingly popular among Belarusians, which opens up new opportunities for the development of the sector. A steady transformation of the hospitality industry is being observed worldwide. An obvious trend is the focus on domestic tourism. In Belarus, tourism should become a national project. Enthusiasm for one’s own country opens up new horizons and simultaneously reveals problematic areas that need to be focused on. This concerns the improvement of infrastructure and the implementation of investment projects.” 

By Yulia Demeshko, Violetta Dralyuk