KAMENETS DISTRICT, 2 May (BelTA) – The introduction of a visa-free regime at the Augustow Canal will increase its tourist appeal, Grodno Oblast Governor Vladimir Kravtsov told on 30 April, BelTA has learned.
“The Augustow Canal is our asset. We have invested a lot of efforts in its recovery and would like more tourists, including foreigners, to see this place. This, however, needs the creation of the corresponding conditions. One of them is a visa-free entry through the border checkpoint Lesnaya-Rudawka,” said Vladimir Kravtsov.
Today this border checkpoint is crossed by water. The plans for the near future includes the introduction of a pedestrian crossing, with the opportunity to cross the border by bike. The next step will be the introduction of a visa-free regime for foreigners visiting the Augustow Canal.
“Along the border there are big international tourist bicycle routes Eurovelo, Greenvelo. From Norway, Finland they are running through the whole Europe. It would be great to prolong them to Belarus, to the Augustow Canal,” Vladimir Kravtsov said.
In 2015 the tourist spot was visited by nearly 50,000 people. The facilitation of visiting and staying conditions and the creation of new facilities will attract more tourists to the area. Thus, the Augustow Canal Museum will open in May 2016. Apart from it, the place is being beautified with leisure areas, additional bicycle routes, extreme travel opportunities.
On 30 April the Grodno Oblast Governor got familiar with the operation of the border checkpoint Pererov-Bialowieza at the Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The three-day visa-free regime for tourists was introduced there in the mid 2015. Since then the national park has been visited by more than 6,000 residents of Poland, Germany, France, Canada.
