MINSK, 28 November (BelTA) - Over 54,000 foreigners visited Belarus visa free in 2017, Marina Mastashova, a consultant with the tourism department at the Sport and Tourism Ministry of Belarus, told a press conference, BelTA has learned.
“In 2017 over 54,000 foreign nationals from 67 countries took advantage of the five-day visa-free program and came to visit Belarus via the national airport. The majority were German citizens (over 8,000). About 5,500 were tourists from Poland, 4,500 from Italy, 4,000 from the United States, and 3,800 from the UK,” Marina Mastashova noted.
Belarus has a modern tourist infrastructure. There are 571 accommodation facilities for 38,600 places, 2,279 farm tourist estates, 275 hunting grounds, over 480 health and wellness centers, which can accommodate nearly 47,000 people, and 40 camping sites.
Marina Mastashova noted that tourists who come to Belarus via Minsk National Airport explore Minsk in the first place. According to the Sportcal Global Sports Cities Index, Minsk has made it into the Top 20 Global Sports Cities for the first time. The UK's The Times ranked Minsk among 30 great bargain city breaks, placing the country fifth.
“The most popular type of travel in Belarus is cultural and educational tourism. Many specimen of the historical and cultural heritage have survived or have been restored. Owners of farm tourist estates are doing their best to enrich the program of stay by offering national cuisine dishes, showcasing rites and traditions. Medical tourism has recently gained pace, too. Healthcare institutions offer paid medical services and advanced high-quality service. This type of tourism is most popular with Russian tourists,” Marina Mastashova said.
