Press releases

16 Apr 2026

Polesie State Radioecological Reserve sees strong interest from foreign visitors

KHOINIKI DISTRICT, 16 April (BelTA) - Tourists from more than 40 countries visited the Polesie State Radioecological Reserve in 2025,the reserve’s director Aleksei Tishkovets said during a press tour dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power disaster, BelTA has learned.

The tourist routes in the Polesie State Radioecological Reserve attract hundreds and thousands of visitors every year. Several popular excursion routes have been developed, with three main routes passing through the streets of abandoned villages. Visitors can also see a breeding horse nursery, an apiary where they can taste honey, and more. Last year, over 3,100 people visited the reserve. Most were from Belarus, but there is always strong interest from foreign visitors eager to explore the reserve.

According to the Head of the Information Support Department Aleksei Kazakov, visitors from Russia rank second in the tourism rating. Tourists from China, Germany, Italy, Spain and other countries also come quite often. Foreign guests are always curious about the history of the reserve and the surrounding area. “Some visitors use these trips to get over their fear of radiation,” he stressed.

The Polesie State Radioecological Reserve assured that all offered routes are completely safe.

On 15-16 April, bloggers and journalists participated in a press tour across Gomel Oblast to see how life has changed in the affected areas, 40 years after the Chernobyl disaster. The program featured the Polesie State Radioecological Reserve, a breeding horse nursery, an apiary, a cheese-making facility, a hydraulic equipment plant, and other sites.