Belarus (bbabo.net), - Tourist flows between Russia and Belarus have been growing by 50% annually in recent years. The Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Minsk Boris Gryzlov stated this today, April 18
“The enormous potential for cooperation between Russia and Belarus in the field of tourism is due to many factors - the absence of language and border barriers, the presence of convenient transport infrastructure, as well as the general availability of tourism services for the general population. This is especially true in the context of the constant rise in prices for tour packages to foreign countries, as well as the objective complication and rise in cost of travel logistics against the backdrop of illegitimate Western sanctions. But, as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. Domestic tourism in the vastness of the Union State not only stimulates economic growth, since income from the sale of tourism products does not go abroad, but serves the further development of our countries, but also gives our citizens the opportunity to visit places that previously seemed practically inaccessible, to plunge into culture and traditions of our peoples,” he said in connection with the opening of the 26th International Exhibition and Fair of Tourist Services “Vacation 2024” in Minsk.
Gryzlov also cited data that tourist flows between Belarus and Russia have been growing by 50% annually over the past two to three years. In particular, in 2023, 176 thousand Russian guests visited Belarusian sanatorium-resort, health-improving and other specialized institutions, and 15 thousand people vacationed in local agricultural estates, which is about 93% of the total number of foreigners who came to the republic for similar recreational purposes . In turn, Belarusian tourists took 247 thousand organized trips to Russia.
“Of course, these figures do not take into account those citizens who decided to relax as a “savage” and took care of transfers, hotel reservations, and so on themselves. And this is more than 5 million Russians and over 400 thousand Belarusians,” noted the Russian ambassador.
In addition, Gryzlov mentioned the work of the ministries and departments of the two countries aimed at developing tourism activities. He recalled that at the end of 2023, the Union program to unify legislation in the field of tourism activities was successfully implemented, a cooperation agreement and a road map were concluded.
“On the agenda is the expansion of the geography of regular air services between major cities of Russia and Belarus, as well as the development of direct bus and rail interregional communications. Already 36 constituent entities of the Russian Federation have expressed interest in establishing or increasing existing air connections with Belarus, 13 reported the feasibility of expanding bus and train routes. New flights to Moscow from Gomel and Brest have recently been launched, and the possibility of organizing flights from other regional centers of Belarus is being explored, not only to the capital of the Russian Federation, but also to other Russian cities,” said the head of the Russian embassy.
Let us remind you that Minsk and Moscow have been building the Union State since 1999. Currently, the parties are completing the implementation of 28 union integration programs. In addition, new projects have already been developed that are designed to strengthen the integration of the two countries.
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