Belarus has a great potential for tourism development, Natalia Kochanova, Head of the Belarus President Administration, said as she met with the employees of Slutsk Sugar Refinery on 25 January, BelTA has learned.
“We have a huge tourism potential, including in the farm sector. Those who come to our country take note of its cleanness as well as of its kind and open-hearted people,” Natalia Kochanova stressed.
According to the Head of the Belarus President Administration, the contribution of services, including tourism ones, to the country's GDP could have been bigger. “This is exactly where we can earn money today,” she noted.
It is expected that the five-day visa-free travel for foreign visitors will increase tourist numbers to the country.
As BelTA reported earlier, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko signed Decree No. 8 “On the introduction of the visa-free entry and departure for foreign citizens” on 9 January. The document introduces visa-free entry through the border checkpoint at Minsk National Airport and visa-free stay in Belarus for up to 5 days for citizens of 80 states. These are 39 countries of Europe, including the entire European Union, Brazil, Indonesia, the USA, Japan, and other countries.