In terms of the growth rate of tourist services exports, the Vitebsk region ranks second among the regions
One of the issues considered at a recent open meeting of the regional executive committee chaired by Nikolai Sherstnev was the implementation of the State Program "Hospitable Belarus" for 2016-2020 in the Vitebsk region.
Reporting on the processes occurring in the tourism sector, the head of the department of sports and tourism of the regional executive committee, Vasily Zakharevich, emphasized that the main vector of work is aimed at developing infrastructure and services, and promoting the tourist product in foreign markets. Currently, inbound and domestic tourism are actively developing. In 2016, over 95 thousand domestic organized tourists visited the Dvina region, their number increased 1.6 times compared to 2015.
The growth in tourist services export is evident; for the first eight months of 2017, the plan for this indicator was fulfilled by 84 percent of the target. The lion's share of tourists are foreign citizens coming for health improvement, with sanatoriums accounting for 60 percent of the total volume of service exports.
The speaker said that 135 tourist organizations currently operate in the region, and 240 tour guides are employed. However, V. Zakharevich noted a shortage of certified guides with knowledge of English, German, Polish, and other languages.
This year alone, 20 new routes have been added in the region. While great attention is paid to the development of ecological, hunting, and agro-ecotourism (the number of farmsteads in the region is 620), it is necessary to improve the forms of work.
The speaker also focused on some leaders in the regional tourism industry. For example, ODO "Ilva", through which over 12 thousand foreign and more than three thousand domestic tourists were received and served in 2016-2017, continues to improve its work in cultural and educational tourism and other areas. Last summer, "Ilva" signed a cooperation agreement with the regional tourism industry union of the Volgograd region, aimed at developing unified international tourist routes. In the spring of 2018, it is planned to send the first tourist train from Volgograd, Russia to Belarus.
Sports tourism is developing successfully. In 2016, 126 training camps were held for athletes from Russia, Armenia, Moldova, Latvia, and Azerbaijan.
A positive example of effective activity in sports tourism is the cooperation between the travel agency "Raidotur" and the Belarusian Federation of Sportoch, which allowed the launch of the interactive project "Belarusian Summer" last year. It attracted participants and spectators from six countries.
The practice of bus excursions around Vitebsk during the "Slavianski Bazaar" was successful. Already next year, it is planned to increase the number of stops for excursion buses, as well as to create an official call center for the international arts festival, and in addition, to actively promote the tourist product through advertising and to develop infrastructure.
Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Nikolai Sherstnev emphasized at the meeting that every job requires a system. Having such wealth at our disposal – two thousand lakes, unique landscapes – it is necessary to manage them competently and wisely. We must not forget the condition of our historical sites, because everything we show to guests must be in order. And this is extremely important for self-respect.
During the discussion of the report on the implementation of the state program "Belarus is Hospitable", the issue of attracting foreign guests to the region was raised by the Chairman of the Braslav District Executive Committee, **Vladimir Dranevsky**. He noted that Braslav, which is famous for its landscapes and lakes, could accommodate even more foreigners if the region were made a visa-free zone.
Deputy Minister of Sport and Tourism Mikhail Portnoy, who attended the meeting, readily supported the proposal. The application from Vitebsk region may also be considered.
Natalia Krupitsa, "Vitbichi".