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Integrated information resource needed to tout Belarus as tourist destination

NOVOGRUDOK, 14 August (BelTA) - Belarus needs to set up an integrated information resource to showcase its tourism opportunities, Belarus Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko said at a a meeting of the inter-agency coordinating council on tourism at the Council of Ministers in Novogrudok, BelTA has learned.

The increase in the tourist flow is impossible without promotion of the country's opportunities. For this we need to use all available resources, the deputy prime minister stressed.

“Tourists should be able to get all the necessary information online: from the schedule of public transport and museum hours to the description of tourist sites, events, routes. All this information should be accumulated on one information resource representing the country. The information should be presented in as many languages as possible,” Igor Petrishenko said. He instructed to look into the possibility of designing such a website from scratch or using one of the available tourist resources.

During the meeting it was noted that the active promotion of the country's tourism opportunities has brought results. Belarus Deputy Minister of Sport and Tourism Mikhail Portnoi spoke about participation in major foreign tourist exhibitions. “We have statistics for two dozen countries. Belarus’ presentations in these countries have generated a 10-15% increase in the export of tourist services to each of the countries," he said. Thanks to such work it was possible to diversify the export of tourist services: earlier the main market was Russia. The share of tourists from other countries has been growing in recent years.

Smart use of tourism potential can yield economic windfall. In 2018, the export of travel services amounted to $230 million, which was up 14% year-on-year. The tourism export has also been growing this year too.

Novogrudok, the host of the meeting, is one of Belarus’ tourist hubs. Participants of the meeting visited the castles in Lyubcha and Novogrudok, the Museum of Jewish Resistance, and Adam Mickiewicz House-Museum. The agenda of the meeting included issues related to tourism development, conservation, restoration and use of historical and cultural heritage sites.

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