Details: plans to create a tourist information center of the Union State in Smolensk

Assessing the cooperation in the Union State, Yulia Krasko drew attention to new formats of work with Russian tourists. “In Russia, of course, our dynamics have traditionally always been positive, and this year is no exception. We are seeing an increase in the number of Russians, and they are indeed finding additional reasons to come to Belarus. We are also trying to work within their information space so that we can reach a broader audience of Russian consumers and not be limited, so to speak, to Minsk, Mir, Nesvizh, and the Brest Hero Fortress,” the speaker noted.

The National Tourism Agency has chosen the VKontakte platform as an effective digital promotion channel. “We all know that this is no longer just a social network; it’s an entire ecosystem that brings together Mail.ru and various platforms with video content. We are working with them to explore the possibility of accessing the “VK Places” platform. Overall, the ecosystem is characterized by a multi‑million active Russian audience. And we want to convey the message that Belarus is rich not only in well‑known locations, but we also have many underrated routes, tourist attractions, a great deal of architecture, churches, and many natural places that truly allow you to relax both in body and soul,” she explained.

Yulia Krasko emphasized that about seven cross‑border routes with the Vitebsk region are already actively operating between the countries. An important step will be the infrastructure expansion. “In addition, the issue of creating a tourism information center for the Union State is currently being considered in Smolensk, and it will also serve as a support for stimulating mutual flows,” she said.

The speaker also described which type of tourism is in high demand. “We see very strong demand for eco‑tourism. We also pay special attention to shifting the focus from the capital and regional centers to the regions, and we are actively working with the information space, with people who shape public opinion, with bloggers, with social media, and with various digital platforms.” In order for people to travel outside major cities, to get acquainted with how many underestimated, at the same time unique, amazing locations we have," she added.

At the same time, there is a high interest in natural attractions. "For example, we see great interest in the Belarusian Maldives, where you can take amazing photos. They evoke a lot of emotions. We are working to equip such locations. The government is paying a great deal of attention to the development of the Naroch region, the Braslav Lakes, and the Vileyka Reservoir. We see a fairly large flow of tourists there. And we would like the holidays to be comfortable and safe, and at the same time, for us to be able to track this flow — so that it’s not just a spontaneous influx of tourists, but an organized and regulated one,” Yulia Krasko summed up.