Development of inclusive tourism in Belarus

The development of inclusive tourism is one of the directions of the National Tourism Strategy for the period up to 2035 and includes the creation of adaptive infrastructure and an accessible environment at the facilities of the tourism industry, which is built on the principles of universal design.

The plans for the next five years include the development of new accessible excursion routes for people with disabilities. At the same time, the issue of inclusive tourism will be included in marketing research and in updating the standards of tourism services.

Now, in the Republic of Belarus there is a large selection of accommodation and pastime for inclusive tourists: more than 60 hotels, almost 90% of sanatoriums, 117 travel companies, 78 agro-estates. One of the most popular ecological inclusive paths has been opened in the Volozhin region, which is part of the international project «Volozhin without barriers».

There are 1 billion people with some form of disability today in the world. The creation of conditions for recreation for people with disabilities will ensure a decrease in the number of external factors that impede their recreation, and will also contribute to the active involvement of these people in the active life of society, which makes a significant contribution to the achievement of the Republic of Belarus of Sustainable Development Goals 8, 10, 11 and other SDGs.

More detailed information on the development of inclusive tourism in the Republic of Belarus can be found at the link: https://www.sb.by/articles/turindustriya-ubiraet-barery.html.