Second European Games in Belarus

Minsk to offer over 70 city tours to European Games guests

MINSK, 14 May (BelTA) – Over 70 sightseeing tours of Minsk will be available for city guests during the 2nd European Games Minsk 2019, Head of the Information and Tourist Center Minsk Yelena Plis told journalists, BelTA has learned.

“Travel agencies are working to design sightseeing tours for Russian- and English-speaking guests. They will offer some 70 tours of Minsk. Around 20 of them have been mapped out by tour guides. They were tested out during the Tour Guide Fest in April,” Yelena Plis said.

Minsk residents and guests can also go on everyday educational tours of the city: a free walking tour starting from the Town Hall, the 15:15 and Red Bus tours departing from the railway station, the Open Minsk and Excursion Minsk projects.

Since 2011, Minsk has been implementing the city orientation program which envisages installing information stands. Ahead of the European Games, these stands will acquire additional icons to help guests find sport venues and information about the multisport event. Some 70 information stands have already been installed in Minsk.

In 2018, the Information and Tourist Center Minsk in cooperation with the Mingospravka information desk opened six information points. This year, the center together with the Minsk European Games Organizing Committee will open 20 information points along major tourist routes. Volunteers will be stationed at the points to distribute advertisements and information booklets, free tourist maps marking cultural and historical places and tourist sites of Minsk.

According to Yelena Plis, Minsk expects some 30,000 tourists during the European Games. “According to the official statistics provided by travel organizations, around 100,000 people visited Belarus last year. However, 85% of tourists tend to travel on their own. According to unofficial estimates, there could have actually been up to 500,000-600,000 visitors. This indicates a 20% increase in their number. A majority of visitors are from Russia and other neighboring countries, including the Baltic countries. Most visa-free tourists come from Poland, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, and the U.S.,” Yelena Plis noted.

A total of 736 organizations, 356 tour guides, and 147 guides-interpreters provide travel services in Minsk.

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