Development of industrial tourism was high on the agenda of the session of the Gomel City Hall to discuss the city tourism development plan of action for 2011-2015, BelTA has learned.
Industrial tourism may turn out to be popular, profitable and successful in Gomel, said Anna Melnikova, the head of the education, sports and tourism department at the Gomel City Hall. According to Anna Melnikova, the enterprises that may be interesting to tourists are the Spartak confectionery, Knitwear Factory 8 Marta, the clothes manufacturer Komintern, Gomelglass, Gomel Fat Plant and others.
According to her, in 2015 there were plans to involve Spartak in industrial tourism but the confectionary decided against. However, there was a company in Gomel Oblast that did organize a tourist route. "Foreigners willingly visited the cheese production shop at Turov Dairy Plant. The idea was a success despite the fact that the plant employs a strict system of sanitary supervision," said Anna Melnikova.
Chairman of the Gomel City Hall Piotr Kirichenko supported the idea and stressed that such routes can be arranged virtually at every enterprise in Gomel. "This matter should be explored further. For us it is something new. Therefore many are nervous. No one, however, has worked this idea out," he said.
Working with sister cities might be a good idea too. "Gomel has 19 sister cities in France, Bulgaria, China and other countries. Our delegations regularly visit them. I would like to see athletes, entertainers, and business people from these cities among our frequent visitors. This is the idea we need to explore further," said Denis Yezersky, the head of the sport and tourism department of the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee.
In 2011-2014 Gomel doubled the export of tourist services from $1.4 million to $2.9 million. More than 120 organizations provide travel services in Gomel, including travel agencies, hotels, health resorts and wellness organizations.