Events

MINSK, 14 June (BelTA) – On 14 June the Council of the Republic approved the draft law to ratify the protocol to the intergovernmental agreement between Belarus and China on mutual visa-free travels for tourist groups of 1 January 1993, BelTA has learned.

Belarus’ Deputy Sport and Tourism Minister Mikhail Portnoi said when presenting the document that some provisions of the abovementioned agreement are outdated and no longer aligned with the times. The Belarusian party has put forward its initiative to update it. The matter, first of all, pertains to updating the list of tourist organizations responsible for the mutual visa-free entry for tourist groups, requirements to the documents necessary for tourist groups to enter the territory of the two countries, the rules of staying in the country (entry, departure, movement inside the country), government bodies that coordinate the work.

The Belarusian Sport and Tourism Ministry has drafted a protocol to the intergovernmental agreement that has been worked out to contribute to comprehensive development of the Belarusian-Chinese relations and boost the export of tourist services of Belarus and China. “The protocol to the agreement between the governments of Belarus and China on mutual visa-free tourist trips was signed on 14 November 2015. Under the document, during a trip organized by travel agencies of Belarus and China groups of five and more tourists may enter Belarus and China via international border checkpoints visa-free,” noted Mikhail Portnoi.

Coordinating bodies confirm lists of travel agencies authorized to organize visa-free entry and reception of tourist groups.