MINSK, 28 September (BelTA) – Belarus is developing its system that will count inbound tourists, Belarus' Deputy Sports and Tourism Minister Mikhail Portnoi said at the opening of the international exhibition Tourbusiness 2016 on 28 September, BelTA has learned.
The development of the system was launched in 2016. “We have already invited experts of the World Tourism Organization to pay a visit by the end of the year. We have developed experimental paradigms and we will finally be able to count our visitors and the money they spend here,” said Mikhail Portnoi. In his words, currently the country can count tourist groups only. “In order to take a decision, we need information. Especially it is true about the eastern direction where we do not count tourists at all. We do not know where people go, what they like and what they buy,” he said.
The new system will provide information on tourism types that need increased attention and merchandise that attracts Belarusian guests. The collected data will be useful in working out a strategy to boost tourist flows and also integrate with the world tourism system.
The international exhibition Tourbusiness 2016 is taking place in Minsk on 28-30 September. The program of events will include presentations, roundtable sessions, seminars to discuss the issues of current importance in the tourism sector. The number of participating countries increases every year.
