Belarus remains most popular destination for Russian visitors in 2023

In January-August of 2023, Belarus was the most popular destination for Russian tourists. This is a continuation of the trend of 2022, according to Filip Guly, Chairman of the Board of the Belarusian Tourism Industry Union, BelTA has learned.

The sanctions pressure has had a certain impact. "In addition, this is a natural process of the post-pandemic market. A significant factor is an extensive flight program with Russian regions. In 2023, residents of Ufa, Perm, Nizhny Novgorod, Pskov and other cities can travel to Belarus for weekends, for weekly sightseeing tours or for holidays in health resorts," Filip Guly said.

He took note of the programs by large federal tourism organizations and entrepreneurial initiatives of local companies. "For example, the Republic of Bashkortostan has included Belarus in its Bashkir Longevity program. Now, about 50 pensioners from Ufa arrive in Minsk every week, and they are compensated for air travel," Filip Guly informed.

Tourism is one of the key elements of cultural cooperation in the Union State of Belarus and Russia. Important factors why Russians choose Belarus as a country for recreation is safety and understandability. "Thanks to convenient logistics, the absence of a language barrier, affordable prices and the access to the Mir card system and a friendly attitude, Belarus has become the main foreign destination for tourists from Russia," he noted.

The interaction of the Russian and Belarusian regions is aimed at making the two countries more attractive for mutual tourism and adapting tourist products to the needs of travelers from Russia and Belarus. "Business and distribution are gaining experience, and infrastructure and services are adapting their services to consumption criteria, studying regional specifics. This leads to growth of business ties, which should ultimately lead to investments," Filip Guly said.

As an example, he cited a large Russian cruise company. It not only became the main lease holder of the Belaya Rus ship, bringing tourists from the Russian Federation to travel around the Pripyat, but also became a full-fledged business entity of the Republic of Belarus "This company provides jobs, is looking to invest in new vessels for Belarusian river tourism in the future, and introduces Belarusians to cruises programs on the rivers of Russia. We are talking not only about the famous Volga, but also about the Lena and the Yenisei," Filip Guly noted.