MINSK, 19 March (BelTA) – Around 8,000 Belarusian tourists, who bought tours from travel agencies, are stranded abroad as some countries shut their borders because of the coronavirus. They need help to return home, Irina Voronovich, director of the tourism department of the Sport and Tourism Ministry, told reporters in Minsk on 19 March, BelTA has learned.
“We are dealing with the main challenge, namely to help our tourists get back to Belarus. According to travel agencies, there are around 6,000 tourists in Egypt. Some 2,000 Belarusian tourists are currently in other countries,” Irina Voronovich said.
The situation with Belarusian tourists in Egypt is fully under control, Head of the Tourism Planning and Organization Office, said Vitaly Gritsevich, deputy director of the tourism department at the Sport and Tourism Ministry. Nothing prevents Belarusians from returning home, the Belavia airline operates flights in line with the schedule.
Vitaly Gritsevich pointed out that Belarus also helps Russian tourists leave Egypt. “We will help all tourists get home. Russians booked tours to Egypt via our travel agencies, they paid for return tickets. So they will get seats on a plane same as Belarusian citizens. We make no distinction. Russian citizens are in the same situation as Belarusians,” he said.
Travelers who did not book a tour through a travel agency usually apply for help to Belarusian embassies abroad. If there are vacant seats on charter flights, they also get a ticket home, Vitaly Gritsevich added.