Belarus and Russia Actively Cooperate in Tourism

Mutual interest between Belarus and Russia is centered on developing tourism through collaboration. In recent years, tourist flows within the Union State have increased. To coordinate efforts, exchange experiences, and support industry development, Minsk proposes cooperation with Moscow.

On August 25, negotiations took place at the Government House between Belarusian Prime Minister Alexander Turchin and Russian Deputy Prime Minister.

Belarus places special emphasis on the development of this sector. At the highest level, the goal has been set: to turn tourism into a national project and maximize its economic potential. Both countries recognize that this potential is enormous within the Union State, as highlighted during the meeting.

“In the government, we’ve identified tourism as one of the priority areas for the country’s development over the next five years. Considering that a large number of tourists visit both Belarus and Russia annually, we aim to synchronize our efforts in this sector. It’s important to exchange experiences regarding support products for tourism and development programs. As I understand, a new law will come into force in Russia from September 1, and we thank our Russian partners for this initiative. I believe it will simplify travel for Russian citizens to Belarus,” said Alexander Turchin.

In 2024, approximately 670,000 mutual trips were made between the two countries. The Russian side is confident that this number should be higher. The current year has seen a growth in organized tourist flows in both directions—an increase of 6 % over the quarter. Russian tourists are interested in various Belarusian tourism offerings: from event and patriotic tourism to pilgrimage trips. The allies plan to jointly develop these directions.