What attracts foreign tourists in Belarus?
Russians come for casinos and resorts; Italians and Turks are attracted by Belarusian women; Westerners regard Belarus as a transit stop-over.
The Belarusian Border Control Committee has recorded 2.9 million visits to Belarus over the first six months in 2013. What attracts people in Belarus, indeed?
"Europeans are in-transit tourists who head to Russia as their final destination. From Turkey, people normally come for business," Euroradio is told by Bealruskulturservis company about adventerous tourists.
Americans come to Belarus to visit their relatives. Even expensive visa fees do not stop them! For instance, at the Minsk international airport, a US citizen will pay $480 for a Belarus visa. If processed through a consulate in Washington, visa will cost around $200.
"They come to visit relatives or friends. Some come just for sightseeing. The visa costs seem to be affordable, " staffers at Alendgrup company told Euroradio.
Tourists from the Netherlands, Germany and England bega arriving in greater numbers after... more hostels opened up in Belarus. They travel around Belarus to see the castles, small towns and settlements", Euroradio is told by Kross-tur company.
"The number of tourists has grown by 1.5 times after hostels opened. Hotels in Belarus are rather expensive, even compared to hotels in Europe. Tourists are mostly young."
Russians like to stay in local resorts and to visit castles and cities.
"A group of Russian came receently. They were to visit Minsk, then Niasviz, then the Brest Fortress and then to Lithuania," staff at Minsk tour agency told Euroradio.
"Russians target health resorts, casinos and hunting tours," said Lilia Kobzik, Editor-in-Chief of popular newspaper Turizm i Otdykh (Tourism and Leisure).
"It is no secret that some tourists from Turkey, Middle East, Italy and Spain come to date local women. But this is not our trademark vector. In fact, we don't have any particular attraction yet," she added.
There were only... 9000 people from the so-called far abroad (outside the former Soviet Union space) that visited Belarus in the past six months, reports Respublika newspaper, quoting the State Border Committee.
Photo: zn.by
