Second European Games in Belarus

Tourists start booking farmstays in Belarus for European Games

MINSK, 9 January (BelTA) – Tourists have already begun to book farmstays in Belarus in the run-up to the European Games due in Minsk on 21-30 June, Valeria Klitsunova, the head of the Belarusian Association of Rural and Ecotourism Country Escape, told the media, BelTA has learned.

Farms are getting ready to welcome tourists during the games. The Doors Open Day will be postponed this year from May to June in connection with the European Games.

One day in such a farmstay (breakfast included) will cost from $7-10, the average prices range between $20-25. “Prices are unlikely to increase,” Valeria Klitsunova said. “This is why rural estates may become an attractive alternative to hotels during the European Games,” she added.

According to Vitaly Gritsevich, Deputy Director of the Tourism Department at the Sports and Tourism Ministry of Belarus, the agro-tourism market is not growing as rapidly as before but the scope of services is growing. The Sports and Tourism Ministry expects that in 2019 agro-eco-tourism will draw even more tourists to Belarus partially due to the European Games. Vitaly Gritsevich informed that some 50,000 participants and tourists are expected to come to the European Games. “We expect around 18,000 officials to arrive for the European Games. We carried out an analysis with the directorate of the games and expect that 30,000 tourists and sport fans will visit Belarus during this period,” he added.

Anatoly Ganets, the head of the Volozhin district social council on agro-tourism, owner of Hanka agro-estate, noted that in 2018 the flow of tourists was roughly the same as in previous years. The number of tourists from Europe at Belarusian agro-estates rose whereas the number of Russians decreased. “To get profit we have to invent something new and catchy every year. Every farm has to have a thing, a trademark, and advertise it to attract people,” Anatoly Ganets said.

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