Minsk to host Belarus-Russia Union State tourism forum on 26-28 July
16:03, 25 July
The international tourism forum “Time to Travel Across the Belarus-Russia Union State” will take place in Minsk on 26-28 July, the press service of the National Union of the Tourism Industry of Belarus. The event will bring together over 200 participants from nearly 40 regions of Russia. The forum will serve as a platform to discuss new travel routes, ideas, and formats for cooperation.
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The National Union of the Tourism Industry recalled that starting 1 September, a new law in Russia will classify trips to Belarus as domestic tourism, significantly simplifying operations for Russian tour operators, especially small travel companies from Pskov, Smolensk, Bryansk, and other border regions. Belarus is becoming more popular among Russian travelers. Visitors now explore not only Minsk and Brest, but also Vitebsk, Grodno, Gomel, and Mogilev.
Among the most in-demand routes are patriotic ones such as the Mound of Glory memorial complex, the Khatyn memorial complex, and the Brest Fortress. New attractions are also drawing attention: the Museum of Glory in Mogilev Oblast, the ferry crossing in Alexandria and more.
Belarusians are also actively traveling across Russia. Until recently, tourist interest was largely focused on Moscow, St. Petersburg, and nearby regions. Today, the geography has expanded: travelers now visit Kamchatka, Altai, Lake Baikal, Murmansk, Kazan, and Sakhalin. New destinations are emerging more frequently, including Kaluga, Nizhny Novgorod, and Leningrad Oblast.
Joint travel routes linked to events such as festivals, forums, and cultural projects are gaining popularity. However, experts note that combined tours based on the Belarus + Russian region formula remain limited. Russian tourists often choose to visit Belarus as a separate destination. One significant challenge is the overcrowding of popular tourist attractions during weekends and holidays.
According to the National Union of the Tourism Industry, the forum’s program promises to be rich and multifaceted, featuring a business segment, exchange of best practices, route presentations, a souvenir exhibition, and informal networking. The sessions will cover a wide range of tourism industry topics: from route planning and event tourism (festivals, holidays, historical reenactments) to a souvenir line for the Union State. In addition, Russia and Belarus will unveil new tourism products.
The forum was inspired by the development of direct transport links between the two countries, the regular participation of Russian regions in Belarusian exhibitions, and Belarus’ growing recognition in Russia’s national tourism awards.
