«In 2025 more than 400,000 people visited specially protected natural areas: wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, nature reserves, and natural monuments. Compared to 2024, this represents a 1.7-fold increase in the number of tourists. Approximately half of these tourists were foreign nationals. This is a very positive indicator. Of course, visitors from the Russian Federation and our other neighbors are in the lead,» said Andrei Kastyuk.

In his words, the increase in tourists is linked to infrastructure development. «Our brands have long been known beyond the country’s borders. These are the national parks Braslav Lakes, Pripyatsky, and Narochansky, Belovezhskaya Pushcha, and the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve. Of course, most of the visitors go to these places,» the official added.

The top three also include China and the Baltic states — Lithuania and Latvia.

Andrei Kastyuk also explained what, in his opinion, attracts foreign visitors. «One of our unique peculiarities is, after all, the Lake District in Vitebsk Oblast, the Braslav Lakes national park, which was formed by glaciers, and the Narochansky National Park. Probably no one would refuse going on a trip to the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park. These are ancient forests. These are unique landscapes and lakes. This is the very magnet, the feature that attracts tourists, giving them the ability to relax and enjoy fresh air and sunshine. Plus, there are outdoor activities, which is why people are happy to visit. And the statistics of the visits to specially protected natural areas confirm this,» he concluded.

The average tourist is an active person between the ages of 25 and 45. «Young families with children, people who prefer short getaways as long as 2-3 days in comfort and with interactive experiences,» Andrei Kastyuk explained.