Photo courtesy of the National Tourism Agency
MINSK, 19 December (BelTA) – The tourism sector is facing a shortage of certified guides and interpreters, Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus Yuri Senko said at the second session of the 7th Belarusian People’s Congress on 19 December, BelTA has learned.
Yuri Senko identified the availability of qualified tour guides as critical for the industry’s growth. “There is a catastrophic shortage of guides and interpreters,” the trade union leader stated.
He detailed the scale of the issue: “Across our country’s 1,100 tourism organizations, there are just over 1,300 certified tour guides. For most, this is a part-time job or a hobby, not their primary occupation. For example, even in large cities like Mozyr and Svetlogorsk, there are only two certified guides each, and they have full-time jobs, preventing them from conducting tours during regular working hours,” Yuri Senko explained, outlining an area needing urgent attention.
He noted that efforts to attract Chinese tourists have been a priority for years. “Significant progress has been made at the state level, including a visa waiver and direct flights. However, nationwide, only 14 Chinese-speaking guides are certified, with 12 of them based in Minsk,” he cited. According to Yuri Senko, these limitations are constraining the development of the tourism industry.
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