MINSK, 4 January (BelTA) – There are plans to develop cross-border tourist routes to integrate the Belarusian territories eligible to the 10-day visa-free entry and Ukraine's Lvov, BelTA learned from Yelena Likhimovich, Deputy Director of the National Tourism Agency.
A presentation of Belarus' tourism potential was arranged in Lvov in late December of 2017. Travel industry representatives from both countries suggested organizing joint tours for citizens of Western Europe that would span Lvov and the areas of Grodno Oblast and Brest Oblast with the 10-day visa-free program.
“These can be classic bus tours popular in Europe. Travel companies, for example, are ready to organize tours from Lvov to Grodno or to Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Many foreigners have heard about the national park but have never visited it. Our companies are establishing contact with colleagues from Lvov to talk over the plans in great detail,” Yelena Likhimovich said.
She stressed that cross-border routes are beneficial for both parties. Lvov hosts a lot of tourists from neighboring Poland and Germany. “We would be happy even if half of Lvov tourists visited the tourist sights in Belarus. For the Lvov travel companies combining efforts with Belarusian partners can be interesting in terms of developing new routes,” she noted.
As it was reported, Decree No. 462 on the visa-free entry and departure of foreign nationals extended the duration of visa-free stay to ten days. Foreign tourists, who come to see the Augustow Canal Park, will be able to stay without visas in the entire Grodno District and the city. Visitors attracted by the national park Belovezhskaya Pushcha will be able to travel to the tourism and recreation zone Brest (Brest city, Brest District, Zhabinka District, Kamenets District, and Pruzhany District in Brest Oblast and Svisloch District in Grodno Oblast) without visas.
