Press releases

Every year about 6 million people cross the Belarusian border. According to Taleb Rifai, the figure can be increased to 20-25 million. “Belarus has a huge potential in that regard. That number of tourists may visit Belarus not tomorrow, not in two years or five years, but it has to happen in the future. The European market is important for the country but it is also necessary to look at the tourism potential of China, South Korea, other Asian countries, Brazil,” said the UNWTO head.

Taleb Rifai said he believes that culture and the favorable geographical location of the country are the key advantages for attracting millions of tourists to Belarus. These are the aspects one has to bear in mind first and foremost, he said.

The UNWTO head mentioned several global tourism development trends. He advised Belarus to take them into account while advertising its advantages. For instance, the focus of the tourism industry has been shifting towards the East recently. Developing nations are becoming the leaders in exporting tourism services and in internal tourism. A flexible visa policy can facilitate the development of the tourism industry. The number of self-dependent travelers is on the rise. One in three prefers booking tourism services via the Internet instead of using travel agencies. The UNWTO expects the number of such people to rise every year. If tourists retain services of a travel agency, as a rule, they opt for a socially responsible company that cares for the environment.