BREST, 12 March (BelTA) – Brest Oblast's export of travel services totaled $16.8 million in 2019, up 12.3% over 2018. The matter was discussed at a board meeting of the sport and tourism department of the Brest Oblast Executive Committee on 12 March, BelTA has learned.
Tourism accounted for 3.4% of the total export of services in Brest Oblast. Despite positive trends, Presidential Aide, Inspector for Brest Oblast Anatoly Markevich encourages the sector to use the existing potential as actively as possible. “Tourism is one of the priority tasks. This sector is of high importance for the region. We have well-developed infrastructure: Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Brest Fortress and other landmarks of the region are well-known far beyond our borders. Every district has sites which draw tourists. The potential, however, is still hugely untapped. Making up slightly more than 3% of the oblast's total exports is not enough for the sector. I believe that the potential is much bigger for the achievement of greater results,” he stressed.
Nearly 80 marketing activities were held in Brest Oblast last year to increase exports and promote tourism potential. Representatives of the region participated in international exhibitions, presentations and seminars on experience exchange. Study tours were conducted for tour operators and mass media from Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, Israel, the USA, Cuba and the UAE.
The effort yielded results. In 2019, Brest Oblast was visited by more than 1.3 million tourists, up 11.5% year-on-year. The flow of foreign visitors increased by 9%. “The increase in visitations was largely attributed to an extensive calendar of events to mark Brest's 1,000th birthday. Wellness and agroecotourism were successful as well. The river cruise from Brest to Mozyr and Belovezhskaya Pushcha events are very popular,” said Denis Nikityuk, Head of the Tourism Sector of the Sport and Tourism Department of the Brest Oblast Executive Committee.
Domestic travel posted a noticeable increase of 12.2%. Belarusians prefer to travel around Brest Oblast at weekends. They show interest in museums and farmsteads. There are 423 agroecotourism sites in the region. Last year they welcomed more than 81,000 people (up 5% over 2018), including almost 10,000 foreigners. 35 new farmsteads opened their doors to the public. 150 additional jobs were created there.
