US embassy cable - 05MINSK1107

UNCLAS MINSK 001107 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, PREL, BO 
SUBJECT: Tourism Part II: An Examination of Agrotourism 
 
Ref: Minsk (1079) 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified 
 
1. Summary: (U) The GOB has a two-part program for tourism: 
to increase tourism within Belarus by Belarusians and to 
increase the number of foreign tourists to Belarus.  On 
September 3 and 4, Emboffs set off to test the tourism 
waters, starting with an overnight at an agrotourism farm. 
They also visited two of Belarus' top tourist sites to 
assess the prospects for increasing foreign tourism in 
Belarus.  The future of agrotourism is promising.  However, 
the same assessment cannot be made about the prospects for 
increasing foreign tourism.  End summary. 
 
Agrotourism 
----------- 
 
2. (U) On September 3, Emboffs bravely boarded their 1970s 
bus to the town of Mir, approximately two hours outside of 
Minsk, to stay at a bed and breakfast on a farm.  Their 
hostess, Anna Kitun, met them at the bus station and drove 
them to the farm.  While taking a tour of the farm, the 
hostess explained that she and her husband started hosting 
tourists two years ago as a source of additional income. 
They already have a two-story house for guests, as well as a 
wooden cottage nearby with beds for six people and a tent- 
like structure with a hay bed, for those who prefer more of 
a camping experience.  The bed and breakfast owners built 
the lodging accommodations and the full banya themselves, 
and they supply food from their own livestock and garden. 
Business has picked up so much that the couple is building 
another guest cottage.  Most of their guests are Belarusian, 
and Emboffs were the first Americans to visit the farm. 
 
3. (U) During the meal of traditional Belarusian foods, 
young Belarusian guests asked Emboffs for their opinion of 
Belarus.  Emboffs replied that Belarus is nice, which 
motivated one guest to give a small lecture on politics: 
"That's not what the television says.  The television says 
that America hates Belarus because it's a dictatorship.  It 
isn't a dictatorship.  Life here is good.  The country is 
stable, and there's no terrorism.  We don't have any more 
problems here than you have in your own country."  After the 
meal and political lecture, hosts took Emboffs to a 
neighboring farm where Emboffs paid USD 1 each to milk a 
cow. 
 
The "Big" Tourist Sites 
----------------------- 
 
4. (U) In the town of Mir, Emboffs toured a castle.  Price 
listings were in Russian only, although explanatory signs in 
the one accessible tower of the castle were in Russian and 
English.  Then Emboffs waited three hours for the next bus 
to visit the castle in Neszvich.  There were no maps of the 
town and no signs pointing the way to the site.  The castle 
is in such an advanced state of disrepair that none of the 
buildings are open to the public.  The entry fee allows 
tourists to walk through the castle gates and stand in the 
courtyard amidst scaffolding and cement mixers.  [Note: on 
July 15, UNESCO added Neszvich castle to its World Heritage 
List, so hope of restoration exists.] 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
5. (SBU) Emboffs' experience with agrotourism exceeded post 
expectations (reftel).  The lodging accommodations on the 
farm were completely booked, hosts were friendly and 
helpful, the food was tasty, and the room was clean.  For 
Belarusians or for foreign tourists already in Belarus, 
agrotourism is an excellent way to spend a weekend. 
However, because of the poor public transportation system 
and the need to obtain a tourist visa, foreign tourists 
would have to be determined to experience Belarusian village 
and agricultural life. 
 
6. (SBU) However, the site-seeing part of the tourism 
weekend revealed a complete lack of tourist infrastructure: 
no directional or informational signs (in any language), no 
maps, and no toilets.  To attract foreign tourists to 
Belarus, information at the major tourist sites should be 
available in English and perhaps in German.  Moreover, buses 
would need to be updated and should run more than twice a 
day between the two towns with castles.  End comment. 
 
KROL