GRODNO, 31 October (BelTA) – As many as 39 tourists visited Grodno over the first weekend after the launch of visa-free travel on 26 October. The information was presented at the meeting of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee on 31 October, BelTA has learned.
Members of an official delegation from Poland's Podlaskie Voivodeship were the first tourists to enter Belarus' Grodno Oblast visa-free on 26 October. Tourists from Poland, Lithuania and Spain also took advantage of visa-free travel in the first days after its launch. As of today, another 70 foreign nationals have applied with travel agencies to get a permit to enter Belarus visa-free.
Chairman of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee Vladimir Kravtsov gave instructions to monitor the visitor numbers on a daily basis to identify what needs to be improved before the start of the main tourist season.
Foreign tourists can visit the tourism and recreation park Augustow Canal without visas from 26 October. Foreign citizens are required to produce their passport (or another document for travels abroad) and the document confirming their right to visit the Augustow Canal. Such documents are issued by travel agencies.
Tourists are also required to have money to finance the costs associated with staying in Belarus and leaving the country. In particular, they need to have at least two base amounts per day in Belarusian rubles or a foreign currency. One base amount stands at Br21 at present. Visa-free travels will be available till 31 December 2017.
