Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 30 December (BelTA) - The Year of Hospitality will become a good stimulus for the development of tourism, BelTA learnt from Vadim Karmazin, Director of the Tourism Department of the Belarusian Sport and Tourism Ministry.

“Next year we will welcome guests of the 2014 IIHF World Championship, which is why it is reasonable not only for the Sport and Tourism Ministry but for other ministries and agencies to focus on making the country more hospitable, so that the tournament can be held on a high level,” Vadim Karmazin noted. He added that the Sport and Tourism Ministry annually chooses the theme of the year and that 2014 had been declared the Year of Sports Tourism.

Vadim Karmazin also drew attention to the fact that 2014 had been declared the Year of Tourism in the CIS. “This will serve as an additional impetus for cooperation within the CIS and the implementation of new projects in the field of tourism,” he underlined.

An action plan outlining the events to be held during the Year of Tourism will be developed before long. It will help synchronize the activities of the ministries and businesses concerned. According to Vadim Karmazin, the plan will be designed to develop infrastructure, create new itineraries, carry out marketing research and increase the quality of services. Special emphasis will be put on the promotion of Belarus’ tourism potential abroad. Currently the Sport and Tourism Ministry is busy negotiating its participation in seven international tourism expos. The ministry in association with the National Tourism Agency are about to finish creating a 2014 event calendar for tourists. Moreover, promotion campaigns and tourism forums should be held in Belarus.

Vadim Karmazin underscored that the events to be held during the Year of Hospitality facilitate heavier investment in the field of tourism. “As a rule, a complex of such thematic events helps improve the situation in the entire industry,” Vadim Karmazin added.