For many Russian travelers, Belarus has long been a popular destination for celebrating the New Year holidays. This year, the country’s popularity among its neighbors remains high, with Belarusian agro-tourism estates, health resorts, and cozy countryside complexes attracting more and more visitors. Russian tourists are actively buying bus tickets, planning to spend the long holidays in a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. Here’s how Belarus has prepared to host Russian visitors this festive season and what options its estates and health resorts are offering for an unforgettable winter getaway.
Why Russians choose Belarus
Domestic tourism remains the primary choice for Russian travelers, explained Filipp Guly, Chairman of the Board of the National Union of Tourism Industry (NUTI). “At the same time, he emphasized, Belarus ranks among the leading foreign destinations thanks to a number of practical advantages: convenient transport links with major cities such as St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Moscow Oblast, additional regional flights, the absence of visa and language barriers, and the availability of familiar services like Yandex.Taxi,” he emphasized.
Equally important is the content of the trip, which is rooted in Belarus's unique appeal as a tourist destination: its rich culture, history, folklore, ethnography, cuisine, and natural landscapes. According to Filipp Guly, the president’s decision to elevate tourism to the status of a national project is both timely and significant, given the many opportunities and avenues for growth in the sector. “Much work and many complex decisions lie ahead,” he added.
“The major flow of Russian tourists for the upcoming New Year holidays will come from Moscow, Moscow Oblast, and St. Petersburg. Regions with direct Belavia flights, such as Ural, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod, and Tatarstan, are also making a significant contribution [to the overall flow],” the chairman noted.
Tourist demand for this season has already taken shape. The priority now, he said, is to expand high-quality services, secure profitability, and foster both entrepreneurship and customer loyalty. The New Year, May holidays, Russia Day, and school vacations all draw Russians to Belarus. During these periods the country’s most popular destinations are booked well in advance.
The New Year holidays, like other peak periods, are marked by exceptionally high occupancy and strong advance sales. According to Filipp Guly, all segments of the tourism industry (hotels, sanatoriums, restaurants, transport providers, tour operators, museums, and guides) have long since developed and successfully implemented effective models for operation during the peak season. “Special tourism programs tailored to different seasons and holiday periods each have their own specifics: that is simply how the business works. At the same time, it is essential to account for the broader regulatory framework governing tourism, from culture and nature to sports and education. In some cases, these rules do not fully reflect the realities of exporting tourism services, and the resulting obstacles have to be addressed after they arise rather than at the planning stage,” he noted.
The soul of tourism: why travelers choose agro-tourism estates
Velesov Put is a network of agro-tourism estates in Vitebsk Oblast united by a common goal: to develop agro-tourism not only in Glubokoye District but across Belarus. The network includes members from Glubokoye District, Minsk District, and Brest District. “Working together enables us to operate more efficiently and draw in more visitors, while each participant brings something unique. Agritourism is the very soul of tourism: a traveler does not simply arrive at a hotel, but at the home of a farmstead owner who pours heart, atmosphere, charisma, and talent into their work,” said Natalya Melnichenko, Chair of Velesov Put.
The network has created programs that combine various aspects of agro-tourism: accommodation, guided tours, workshops, home-produced food and goods, dog-sledding (such as the Belarusian Alaska at the Utrina estate), as well as horse and goat farms. This variety makes it possible to create diverse routes and attract more tourists.
This year, excursion programs are in particularly high demand. “We create joint products and venues, for example, for New Year’s programs. If one estate is fully booked, we offer accommodation at others, while the excursion program can take place at the estate the tourists prefer. We provide a wide range of services, and New Year’s programs are already almost fully booked,” Natalya Melnichenko noted.
The most frequent foreign guests at agro-tourism estates are Russian tourists, who traditionally visit Vitebsk Oblast. Recently, however, the number of visitors from China has grown significantly, with a particular interest in active tourism. Interest is also rising among tourists from India, Türkiye, and Iran, who enjoy excursion programs and stays in northern Belarus, the country’s distinctive highlight. For visitors from warmer climates, this type of holiday is especially appealing.
“Belarus is known to Russians for its health resorts, but we offer active recreation: horseback riding, dog sledding, animal-themed workshops (this format is very popular),” Natalya Melnichenko explained. “Russian tourists come not only individually but also as part of excursion groups. They enjoy the wide range of activities, natural products, homemade cuisine, and interaction with animals. They value not just accommodation, but a comprehensive holiday with varied activities and a warm atmosphere.”
This integrated approach, combining accommodation with active leisure, is particularly attractive to Russian guests.
Wellness tourism: how many Russians visit Belarusian health resorts?
Foreigners make up about 80% of all visitors at the Yunost health resort, with 3-4% coming from countries outside the CIS, while the majority are Russian citizens. The health resort is also popular among visitors from Azerbaijan, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, and Israel.
“Excellent conditions for rest and recovery have been created for Russians. The health resort has a strong medical base for treating musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and nervous system conditions. Professional doctors provide high-quality services, which is why tourists return again and again. Guests enjoy maximum comfort, high-class dining, and the warm attitude of the staff: qualities especially valued by foreign visitors,” said Tatyana Korolkova, Head of Sales, Reception, and Accommodation at the Yunost health resort.
According to her, New Year packages went on sale as early as August, and by September all places had been booked. “The health resort is fully sold out for the holiday season. Most guests come for long stays: at least 10 days. Health resorts across the country are at capacity, so holidays must be reserved well in advance. The majority of our visitors are Russians,” she emphasized.
Belarusians also come to Yunost for wellness, but more often prefer weekend tours, especially during Christmas and New Year, while Russians tend to opt for longer stays at the end of December.
As for the format of foreign tourists’ trips, they usually come for New Year with families or small groups of friends, large groups are rare. “Many guests enjoy their stay so much that they become regulars: around 30-40% return every year for the New Year holidays,” Tatyana Korolkova noted.
BelTA.
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