Tourism for Rural development

(Match: Rural tourism is one of the most attractive holiday options in Belarus. Picturesque landscapes, favorable ecology and unique rural flavor attract guests to the country’s agricultural estates. Belarus twice appeared on the first line of the ranking of the best countries for agritourism according to National Geographic. Today in Belarus there are more than 2 thousand farmsteads.). On 4 October 2022 the presidential decree on the Development of Agroecotouirsm was adopted, the strategic goal of which is to create favorable conditions for the development of agroecotourism, improving live conditions in rural population, and development of rural infrastructure.

• Explore the possibility to organize joint initiatives, in particular Belarus intends to host an international forum on agro- and ecotourism.
• Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO
  • To actively involve villages in Belarus to take part in this initative.

Enhance the tourism offer of Belarus and its promotion

(Match: One of the priorities based on the state programs is the formation of a multi-level system for promoting tourism services. Also, slow diversification of tourism services is one of the challenges of the tourism sector, so Belarus is working on the diversification and improvement of the tourist products).

• Support the promotion of Belarus’s destinations through the organization of a Google Masterclass on improving the promotion of destinations through Google & use of Google analytics for state officials.
• Organization of an Amadeus Masterclass on the better analysis of data for better decision-making.
• UNWTO.Academy: Organization of dedicated trainings on efficient promotion and marketing
  of destinations for destinations officials / Assist destinations on the development of marketing & promotion strategy of destinations

Education & Training

(Match: The improvement of skills of the human resource, along with the creation of jobs in tourism, is identified as a key priority. More specifically, enhancing the skills of hospitality sector workers).

• Support through the UNWTO.Academy: UNWTO can support Belarus in the development of tourism educational programmes (i.e, curricula), along with the delivery of tailored-made trainings (I.e., training for officials, training for tourism guides)
• Explain how the TEDQAL certification works.

Attraction of foreign investment

(Match:The biggest issues of the Belarusian tourism sector are underdeveloped domestic and inbound tourism and roadside service facilities, uncompetitive prices for tourism services)

• Explore the possibility to provide support through the IDT programme, and the organization of investment forum with the support of UNWTO in Belarus.
• UNWTO & fDi intelligence from the Financial Times - UNWTO Members can have a limited access to world-class digital investment platforms at no cost 

National Strategy on Tourism Development till 2035

Strategic aims highlighted in the document:

1. To increase the share of tourism into national economy from 2.2% in 2016 to 3.1% in 2035
2. To increase Belarus’ share in global tourism revenues from 0.04% in 2016 to 0.1% in 2035
3. To include Belarus in top 100 destinations with sustainable tourism and in 50 nations with highest competitiveness index in travel and tourism sphere.

Source: National Strategy on Tourism Development till 2035, https://shorturl.at/CHY09

Belarus’ five priorities for 2024-2025

Open Door Policy

• Domestic Tourism Development
• Tourism infrastructure Development
• Elaboration of country’s tourism brand
• Implementation of thematic pilot projects in the country’s regions

Source: UNWTO survey for the Preparation of 2024–2025 Programme of Work