According to Belarus’ draft tourism development program for 2011-2015, the export of tourist services is to soar 3.5 times by 2015 to make up $510 million, director of the department for tourism of the Sports and Tourism Ministry Vadim Karmazin told reporters on 23 March.

Last year the Belarusian tourism industry posted trade surplus of $105 million, up 35.8% over 2009. The export of tourist services grew 35% to $146.7 million, import increased by 32.9% to $41.4 million. Belarus increased the volume of tourist services provided to travelers from Qatar, Switzerland, Bahrain, the UAE, Israel and China. At the same time, Russia remains the main priority of Belarus’ travel agencies. Russia is closely followed by Turkey, Great Britain, Germany, and Ukraine.

According to the official, the tourist development program for 2011-2015 envisages the construction and upgrading of more than 200 tourist facilities including tourist centers, hunting lodges and cultural sites. Tourism development measures are also contained in other state programs including the program for social and economic development and multiple use of the natural resources of the Pripyat Polesie for 2010-2015 and the Naroch region development program for 2011-2015. All in all, over 1,100 tourist facilities will have been constructed and upgraded by 2015.