Farmsteads ready to welcome tourists with disabilities

Tourist services should be available for people with disabilities and, accordingly, barrier-free environment, information awareness and training of professional personnel are of special importance

Experts assert that Belarus is at the outset of its inclusive tourism formation. However, the branch is actively developing and, by now, around 100 farmsteads are ready to accommodate tourists with special needs – offering them high-quality recreation, excursions, master classes and festivals…

Opportunities of the kind are available not only in the capital. In Nalibokskaya Pushcha, the Belokorets ecological path has been launched for people in wheelchairs and those with poor eyesight. It is equipped with special ramps, lifts and toilets. In turn, the country's first tourist information and recreation centre for people with disabilities has been launched in Volozhin.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, Igor Petrishenko, at the moment, about 90 museums (out of 115) in Belarus have elements of barrier-free environment. Moreover, ten major Republican museums offer discount programmes for people with special needs.

Though inclusive tourism is a new direction for our country, it’s very promising from an economic point of view. The target market is wide and its popularity continues increasing.

“The issue of ensuring inclusiveness of tourist services and their accessibility for people with disabilities is becoming increasingly relevant,” Mr. Petrishenko said. “Therefore, we will continue to move along this path – as envisaged by the tourism development strategy until 2035. Some events are scheduled as part of the Hospitable Belarus programme as well.”