Expert: Belarus’ tourism product fully meets modern industry trends

 
“In today’s world, tourism is viewed as one of the key drivers of economic growth and continues to change rapidly under the influence of technology, climate challenges, and shifts in people’s values. The key characteristics of modern tourism are accessibility, mass participation, digital transformation, a focus on experiences, and meeting people’s emotional needs. And the Belarusian tourism product fully aligns with these contemporary trends. Official statistics confirm this,” he noted.
The past year was one of the most successful for the country’s hospitality industry. Domestic tourist flows increased fourfold compared to 2020, exceeding 2.2 million organized tourists. Around 7.5 million trips by foreign visitors were recorded. Tourism service exports surpassed $300 million, which was 46% higher than in 2024.
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Speaking with journalists, Kirill Masharsky noted that the international exhibition Otdykh 2026 has brought together around 200 exhibitors. Representatives of 10 countries and 16 Russian regions are taking part. The exhibition is the flagship event of the Big Tourism Week, the 4th Belarusian-Russian Tourism Congress and the international tourism forum Travel Hub Commonwealth.

“It is an active, dynamic, and very useful platform for both Belarusian and foreign tour operators to establish contacts, exchange views, and build feedback. It is clearly in demand, as we can see from the number of participants,” Kirill Masharsky said.

He added that for Belarus it is very important to develop domestic tourism alongside inbound tourism and to continue increasing volumes, especially family travel. “Most tours for our citizens are designed for one day. We would like to see more multi-day tours. We are working on the relevant routes,” the head of the National Tourism Agency said.

When asked about how the global situation affects tourism, Kirill Masharsky noted that the country’s tourism industry is responding effectively to changes. The task, he said, is to use these changes to Belarus’ advantage so that those who cannot travel abroad can find vacation options at home through ecotourism, wellness tourism, or other segments. A tourism development program has been adopted, which envisions increasing the sector’s contribution to GDP to 4.5% by 2030. Tourism infrastructure will continue to expand, with plans to increase the number of hotel rooms and accommodation facilities in areas with strong tourist flows.