Belarus to introduce visa-free entry at regional airports

Belarus's Transport Ministry is preparing to introduce a visa-free regime at the country's regional airports, Deputy Transport Minister Mikhail Partnoy told reporters in Minsk, adding that only final touches are needed.

Mr. Partnoy reckons that the measure will yield a positive result while Belarus 'acts gradually, in small steps' when it comes to the liberalization of the visa regime.

The most recent changes were the unification of the visa-free areas in the Brest and Hrodna regions and their expansion, according to the official.  

"Our huge unused opportunity lies in ground-transport entries. We can increase the inflow of tourists manyfold if the visa-free regime also applies to the entry via ground border posts. The 2014 World Ice Hockey Championship and the 2nd European Games showed that security remained normal after we had allowed visa-free and ticket-tied entries across the country," Mr. Partnoy said.

Belarus is designing the new 2035 Tourism Development Strategy, which aims to use tourism opportunities in full and boost foreign currency revenues for the country's budget, reports  sb.by