State support on tourism in Belarus

Tourism is one of the state policy priorities as an industry which is extremely beneficial to the economy and is essential for creating a positive image of the country.

In 2004, the government adopted the first National Program of Tourism Promotion in Belarus. Within its frameworks the export of tourism services has greatly increased, a number of new interesting tourism objects have appeared and Belarus entry and residence regulations for foreign nationals have been simplified. For example, in 2010 the republic attracted more than 4 million business and leisure foreign tourists. Exports of travel services totaled $146.7 million, 6.8 times more than in 2005.

The first National Program of Tourism Promotion in Belarus was followed by another National Program of Tourism Promotion for 2011-2015 that focuses on three issues: marketing, human resources management and infrastructure development.

A significant emphasis is made on preparing for the 2014 IIHF Ice-Hockey World Championship. By that time a modern hotel chain will be created in Minsk. Investors have been allocated 28 sites to build hotels in the Belarusian capital, 14 of them have been already designed and their construction is under way.

The country is also implementing seven national programs that envisage measures to create modern tourism infrastructure in different regions including the social and economic development and optimization of resources management in Pripyat-Polesye and the Naroch resort zone in 2010-2015. The similar national documents are drafted to promote tourism and recreation in the Braslav Lakes zone, along the perimeter of the Belovezhskaya Puscha, in the Belarusian part of the Augustow Canal, the town of Mstislavl and Mstislavl district.