Belarus, the “odd man out in Europe,” known as “Europe’s last dictatorship,” is trying to expand travel to the country. Claiming that 137,400 people visited in 2014, a number which has been questioned by outside experts, the country is putting into place new visa-free travel rules coming in February 2017. Those rules would allow visitors to come for five days without needing a visa, a first for the 80 nations that will be covered. Many formerly Soviet nations, now part of the Commonwealth of Independent States, have had more access to Belarus in the past.
Of course, even if 137,400 is an accurate number, it’s rather small compared to the 2.4 million visitors ton neighboring Lithuania in the same year. With Russia’s economy stalling a bit, Belarus, which has long lived in the shadow of its neighbor, is looking for other economic opportunities, and tourism could be one. There might also be opportunities for give and take with the EU, and the acceptance of visa-free travel for Belarusians as well.
A new travel brochure in eight languages has been released, and the metro in in Minsk might get English announcements as well, which hasn’t happened since 2014’s ice hockey world championships were held there.
“The Belarusian Sport and Tourism Ministry expects that the number of tourist arrivals will go up by 20 percent,” government official Vitaly Gretsevich told reporters. He also said that they were seeking tourists from “Europe, North America, and the Persian Gulf.”
Those who have visited in the past have noted the “atmosphere of tranquility, cleanliness, comfort and [the] total absence of haste” in the country, which the Ministry is trying to convey in their new promotional materials.
According to Lonely Planet, Belarus’s isolation is at the heart of its appeal.
“While the rest of Eastern Europe has charged headlong into capitalism, Belarus allows the chance to visit a Europe with minimal advertising and no litter or graffiti,” the site’s authors say. They point out that outside the “monumental Stalinist capital” of Minsk, Belarus’s landscape consists of cornflower fields, thick forests, and picturesque villages, not to mention two excellent national parks.
“While travelers will always be the subject of curiosity,” Lonely Planet wrote, “they’ll also be on the receiving end of warm hospitality and a genuine welcome.”
However, if you’re interested in supporting countries with good human rights standing, according to Human Rights Watch, Belarus does have a pretty poor human rights record. It also has the highest rate of alcohol consumption in the world, according to the World Health Organization, so be ready for some serious drinking if you go there.
On the other hand, maybe the nation’s charm eclipses the excesses of its dictatorial government, and Belarus may be worth a visit.
Have you ever been to Belarus? What was it like? Please share your memories in the comments!
Photo: National Historical Niasviž Museum-Reserve, Republic of Belarus, Minsk region