Press releases

BREST, 19 August (BelTA) – Internet booking has been introduced for tourists visiting the Belovezhskaya Pushcha visa free, BelTA learnt from Director General of the national park Alexander Bury.

The novelty has become possible due to the automatization of the process to issue permits for visa free travelers. A special software program processes a foreigner’s application to visit the Belarusian part of the park and sends the answer to the mentioned e-mail. A foreigner may choose a hotel and an excursion and pay for the services with a bank card.

“The program has been already commissioned. Every detail has been coordinated with banks. We are already welcoming visa-free visitors that book their trips online. I believe the program will be further polished and improved,” said Alexander Bury.

According to the representatives of the tourism department of the national park, the computerized system of permit registration will simplify the process of crossing the border for foreign tourists. Since 12 June when visa-free trips were launched, specialists of the tourism department processed over 2,000 applications by hand. Now, thanks to the software program, their main function will be to monitor the timely and proper registration of applications.

According to tourism specialist Ruslan Kondrasyuk, visa free entry to the Belovezhskaya Pushcha has been used not only by Polish citizens. Tourist groups that have so far visited the national park visa free included citizens of the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Lithuania, Latvia, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, Israel, India and even the United States. “As a rule, they order a whole set of tourism services, including an excursion around the Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the Museum of Ethnography and Ancient Technologies, the Museum of Nature and the residence of the Belarusian Father Frost,” the specialist said.

Foreigners may visit the Belarusian part of the park visa free via the international border crossing point Pererov (Bialowieza). In line with the legislation, foreigners are able to stay on the territory of the park visa-free for up to 3 days.