Holidays in Italy cheaper than in Belarus

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As oysters and connaisseur wine are being served, Signore Malatesta from the administration of Italy's Apulia region is advertising a new tourism destination to Belarusians.

Malatesta: “We have very many places to visit, a lot of excellent hotels, beautiful sights and landscapes. After all, we have the world-famous outstanding cuisine!”

But can Italy be attractive to a rank-and-file Belarusian from the cost perspective?

Belarusian travels agents assure it can be of interest to the middle class.

"It costs from 650 euros per person. Plus a visa. 8 days, 7 nights in a three- or four-star hotel," Volha Yakauleva from Top Tour travel company tells the Euroradion reporter.

Halina Siarhejeva from Planet of Dreams travel agency cools her down a bit: "The package in August will cost 1500 euros." But two weeks in early September costs 1000 euros. And she adds with confidence:

"I will tell you just one phrase that will kill any travel client from Belarus. People who were raised traveling to Turkey can switch to Italy this year, because it is significantly cheaper than Turkey. When in Turkey, Belarusians prefer Antalia, but it is madly expensive this year. In Italy, you pay 1000 euros per person for 14 nights. You can't get a deal like that in Turkey!"

Surprisingly, the cost of holidays in Belarus is the same!, according to an agent from Chacheli resort center near Minsk.

"Accommodation for two weeks will cost about 10 million Belarus rubles. This is only for accommodation, so add more for food. For this money you can travel abroad."

With food expenses added, the price will climb over 1000 euros.  Belarusians will never exchange holidays abroad for this or slightly less money for the holidays in Belarus, assures Lilia Kobzik, editor-in-chief of Minsk-based Tourism and Leisure newspaper. The reason: different sights and sea.

Lilia Kobzik: "We have a certain atmosphere in this country. And this atmosphere is best sensed by the middle class. So, when choosing a holiday destinantion for the family in summer, foreign lands are preferred."

The list of other advantages includes a better service, a change of climate, different sights to see and so on. At the moment, resorts in Belarus survive at the cost of Russians. Anyway, their target audiences do not include Belarusians.

Photo: Zmicier Lukashuk