Opinions & Interviews

GRODNO, 3 December (BelTA) - State support and international projects promote the development of tourism in Belarus, members of a UNDP delegation said during an inspection tour on 2 December around tourist destinations in Grodno Oblast. On the same day the delegation met with senior officials of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee, BelTA has learnt.

The trip was arranged as part of the project run by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) “Local Entrepreneurship and Economic Development” (LEED) which has been running in Belarus since 2012. The project is aimed primarily at increasing the role of the private sector in Grodno Oblast and Brest Oblast in tourism (this area is considered promising for these regions).

According to Sanaka Samarasinha, UN/UNDP Resident Coordinator in Belarus, the implementation of the project in Grodno Oblast has become a great example of cooperation between the state and the private sector. Out of 17 tourist destinations selected for the project in Belarus, ten are located in Grodno Oblast. Currently the development of agro- and eco-tourism is gaining momentum. First of all, this pertains to the development of farm enterprises which have been transformed into agro-tourism farmsteads. Of course, this is also the result of the measures taken by the state, he said and added that this cooperation can lay the groundwork for other projects.

According to U.S. Charge d'Affaires Ethan Goldrich, the agro-tourism sector in Belarus attracts guests from the neighboring states of the EU, and this area needs to be developed further.

Lithuania’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Belarus Evaldas Ignatavicius noted that cross-border tourism between Lithuania and Belarus has considerable prospects. He opined that trips to Grodno and Druskininkai should be included in common tourist packages. This will make it possible for tourists to see historical places in Grodno and then enjoy health resorts in Druskininkai.

The project “Local Entrepreneurship and Economic Development” includes educational programs for participants, small grants (about 30 of them in order to support 17 tourist destinations), the analysis of the effective legal framework in the country and the discussion of possible recommendations.