Belarus’ Sport and Tourism Ministry and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation signed a plan of practical measures to develop tourism between for 2025-2026 following a meeting of the working group on tourism within the Union State in Minsk on 26 September, BelTA learned.
Belarus’ Deputy Sport and Tourism Minister Oleg Andreichik noted that the guidelines have been outlined, including in terms of maximum unification of legislation between the countries, the regulatory framework, and the removal of barriers to tourism. The parties also looked into logistics, transport links, joint marketing activities, creation of tourist information centers in the territory of the two countries, training and internship of personnel.
“One of the goals we have set for ourselves is to develop interregional routes and the cluster system. The regions of Gomel, Vitebsk and Mogilev border on the regions of Bryansk, Smolensk and Pskov. It is important for us to create conditions for business,” Oleg Andreichik noted.
Dmitry Vakhrukov, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, drew attention to the importance of promoting educational tourism, in addition to the traditional areas. This topic is especially relevant for border regions.
“We outlined many plans in April during our first meeting. Now it is important to inspect the progress. We will share our experience in supporting industries, discuss joint tourist products, how to form a unified market of tourist services for our citizens and foreign guests,” Dmitry Vakhrukov said.
He is confident that the number of joint tourism products will only grow.
Dialogue has intensified at all levels, new flights are launched. In the pre-pandemic period Belarus had air service with eight regions of the Russian Federation, now with 18. Flights are operated from Gomel and Brest, in addition to Minsk. New routes are being worked out.
The meeting of the working group brought together representatives of the Sport and Tourism Ministry of Belarus, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the tourism business, transport departments, regions of the two countries, etc. The first meeting of the working group was held on the sidelines of the Rossiya international exhibition and forum in Moscow on 3 April 2024.
