From chocolatier workshops to factory tours: Belarus, Russia’s Leningrad Oblast promote industrial tourism

One of the flagships of industrial tourism in Belarus is the Kommunarka confectionery manufacturer. Visitors could dive into a magical world where cocoa beans are turned into their favorite sweets, try their hand at being chocolatiers and take part in master classes.

According to Kommunarka Director General Aleksandr Nechai, nearly 31,000 people visited the factory on guided tours in 2025, while 23,000 visited in H1 2026, up 24% year-on-year. The company expects the number of visitors to exceed 40,000 by the end of 2026. Five years ago, the overwhelming majority of visitors were Belarusians, but the flow of tourists from Russia has now increased significantly. The company has established cooperation with travel agencies.

“Our tours include a presentation film, visits to production facilities, and tastings. Online booking is available on our website. Tours are fully booked through the end of the year. There are more people willing to come than we can accommodate. We plan to invest in industrial tourism infrastructure and establish a museum,” Aleksandr Nechai said.

Alexey Medvedev, Director General of Lyubimy Krai confectionery factory, noted growing interest in domestic tourism and stressed the need to join forces. “We develop our own methodological materials and tour programs and work with tour operators. We work directly with schools, universities, and vocational schools. Our youngest visitor is five and our oldest is 80. We are investing in this area, opening a museum and have dedicated staff. About 16,000 people visited the factory in 2025. We plan to develop joint projects in the confectionery industry with partners from Belarus,” he said.

Olga Shibko, Head of the museum, excursion services and industrial tourism department at MAZ, spoke about the holding company’s experience in industrial tourism. She noted that visitors are now interested in seeing how vehicles are manufactured from scratch through to the finished product. MAZ uses guided tours to promote its brand and show young people the specifics of the profession. Tours are organized not only at the main plant but also at its subsidiaries. MAZ also has its own museum of labor history and achievements.

“We show how technologies have evolved and tell visitors about our professional dynasties. When organizing tours, we cater to different target groups: children, students, adults, and corporate partners,” Olga Shibko said.

Russian company Systeme Electric is involved in tourism by supplying solutions for tourism infrastructure and conducting partner promotional campaigns that include travel opportunities. The company organizes introductory tours of its facilities. Sergei Melezhik, Director of the Export and CIS Countries Department, expressed interest in cooperating with Belarus to promote industrial tours.

The roundtable also featured the experience of the Minsk Watch Plant, which houses the renovated and only museum of watchmaking in Belarus, and training programs for specialists in industrial tourism. Tour operators working in the markets of both countries shared their proposals and highlighted pressing issues. The tourism business, for its part, tries to respond to travelers’ demands by expanding routes and adding enterprises in the regions. 

The event was organized by the Leningrad Oblast External Relations Committee and the National Tourism Agency.