The new development concept for Polotsk aims to increase the city's tourism revenue - A. Kosinets

April 21, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. The new development concept for Polotsk is aimed at increasing the city's tourism revenue, the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Alexander Kosinets, told reporters today, according to a BELTA correspondent. According to the governor, Polotsk's tourism revenue should increase several times. While in 2011 tourists spent $100-200 each in Vitebsk, in Polotsk, which was visited by 250,000 tourists and 55,000 pilgrims in a year, they spent Br7,000 each, and the city budget as a whole received only Br2.1 billion from organized tourist groups. Alexander Kosinets attributes this to underdeveloped tourist infrastructure and a lack of attractive leisure and recreation facilities. "Polotsk is the birthplace of Belarusian statehood, the cradle of Belarusian culture and education, and the geographical center of Europe, so the city should undergo a completely different development," Alexander Kosinets is confident. The Polotsk development concept provides for the transformation of three main historical areas of the city: around the Spaso-Evfrosinievsky Monastery, the St. Sophia Cathedral, and along the Polota River. For example, around the monastery, on an area of approximately 31 hectares, souvenir shops, a bookstore, and craft workshops will appear, and it is planned to restore the monastery ponds and build a hotel and a tourist center with car rental. The street leading to the monastery will become pedestrian. It will be possible to walk along it to the St. Sophia Cathedral. The area around it will also be significantly transformed. Currently, seven buildings housing medical institutions surround the cathedral. All of them will be moved to other modern reconstructed buildings. The vacated premises are planned to be restored and transferred for an ethnographic museum and a hotel. The banks of the Polota River will be cleaned and will become a place for secular entertainment. The riverbed is planned to be deepened and cleared, creating opportunities for boating and catamarans. Cafes and attractions will be located along the embankment, which will be about 5 km long. The authorities intend to attract investors to implement the Polotsk development concept. The total cost of the project is estimated at Br2 trillion. According to Alexander Kosinets, the invested funds will pay off quickly enough. As confirmation, he cited the experience of Vitebsk, where Br25 billion was spent on the reconstruction of Victory Square. These funds were recouped in one and a half years due to the increased turnover of shops located on the square. The transformation of Suvorov Street in Vitebsk into a pedestrian street and the creation of leisure infrastructure on it cost Br7 billion. These funds were recouped in a year, thanks to the increased turnover to Br35 billion. -0-