Brest region possesses significant tourist resources, which development underlies the regional programme of development of tourism until 2010, confirmed by the decision of the regional executive committee, and also the regional activities of municipal and district executive committees. There are several brand regions: Pinsk Polessye, Euroregion "Boug", Euroregion "Belovezhskaya Puscha", transit passage, nature reserves and landscapes. Using these very brands tourist zones are being formed and developed.
The territory of the region comprises 40 tourist routs where more than 400 thousand tourists, including 30 thousand foreigners, were serviced in year 2007.
The most interesting and popular tourist objects and routs include:
- Belovezhskaya Pushcha – 190 thousand people;
- Brest Fortress – 130 thousand people;
- Ostrich farm in village Kozische in Kobrin district – 20 thousand people;
- Recreational and hunting tours in Pruzhany, Ivacevichi, Kamenec, Brest and Zhabinka districts – 10 thousand people;
- Nostalgic tours round Pinsk Polessye and sites connected with the names of famous countrymen T. Kostyushko, A. Mitskevich, N. Orda – 60 thousand people.
The task has been set by the President to increase the share of tourist service in overall total of services by 5%, i.e. to increase the income from tourism in 10 times. This goal can be reached if developed tourist infrastructure is available. In 2007 five new hotels were opened: SC "Brestskiy" for 63 berths; in village Tomashovka of Brest district; in the regional centre of Olympic reserve in rowing for 110 berths; major redecoration of the hotel in the town of Drogichin and reconstruction of the hotel in the town of Stolin have been carried out. In June 2007 private unitary enterprise "ASB Recreation Centre "Solnechniy" in Brest district began its work and in the second quarter of 2008 the construction of the new hotel in the National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" was finished. Gradual reconstruction of the objects of the cultural-historical heritage is being continued: Nemceviches' Palace in village Skoki of Brest region, Butirimovich Palace in town Pinsk , N. Orda country estate in village Vorocevichi of Ivanovo district etc. Restoration of the church in village Smolyanitsa of Pruzhany district is finished.
All in all by year 2010 it is planned to build, reconstruct, restore and develop more than 60 objects of tourist infrastructure.
The tendency of involvement of the private capital in tourism sector is growing. So, in village Tyuckhinichi, Brest district, UE "Belstroy" has opened the first part of the tourist hotel complex with the elements of modern rural life - country estate "Ryn'kovka". This project was carried out within the frame of the programme of development of roadside service. Complex of organization measures provides visitors with public catering service, sport, recreation and entertainment service, as well as shows stylized reflection of Belarusian village life in ethnographic and historical perspective.
Tavern for 60 seats, guest houses, bath-house, driveway with a parking lot, recreation area, sports area, crafts workshop and stable are available there. While building of the complex environmentally appropriate materials were used and all technological processes were provided by modern equipment.
As the examples of the private capital investment one should mention building of the ostrich farm in village Kozische (OJSC "PM and Company") and building of the roadside service complex "Valentina" in the 137 th kilometer of the highway M1/E30 (PUE "Valentina and daughters").
Objects of aqua tourist infrastructure are being developed. The regional executive committee made a decision to do reconstruction of the Oginsky Channel gradually, taking into consideration ecological peculiarities and protected objects of the nature reserve "Vygoschanskiy".
At this stage management body of the nature reserve has been created, which is going to carry out all economic activity in exploitation of introduced objects.
Engineering of two objects has been completed:
- berth and anchorage station of small-sized vessels on the lake Vygoschanskoye , including rental agency, small-sized vessel for 24 berths (cost of 400 million rubles)
- festival stage on the lake Vulkovskoye .
At the same time the scheme of tourist routs is being worked out and improvement of tourist routs and tracks is being carried out. Centre of ecological education has been established in the nature reserve "Vygoschanskiy". The nature reserve obtained tour operator license and beginning in April 2008 it receives tourists.
Full exploitation of the Dnepro-Boug Channel is possible only when all of 12 locks are reconstructed. The tourist rout Pinsk-Kachanovichi-nature reserve "Srednyaya Pripyat'" is already functioning, and pleasure trips from Brest to health resort "Boug" are being carried out. For further trips it is planned to use the vessel at the Oginsky Channel. It should be mentioned that good tourist conditions are being created in other parts of the channel as well:
- in the area of village Selischi in Drogichin district;
- in Kobrin, Zhabinka and Brest districts.
In year 2008 the work in expansion of the list of tourist service in tourist zones has been carried out.
- Tourist zone "Brest-Baranovichi-Region border".
OJSC "PM and Company" in the ostrich farm in village Kozische (Kobrin district) has created the attraction "Ostrich run" and worked out the programme "Ostrich safari". The service "Horse ride" has been introduced by APC "Verkholesskiy" (Kobrin district). PUE "Lesnoye Ozero" has introduced new tourist attraction – the New Year performance.
In Kobrin district two farming enterprises offering agrotourism service, and in village Alekseiki (Ivacevichskiy district) agro country estate "Alekseiki are registered.
- Tourist zone "White lake" of Euroregion "Boug"
Unitary enterprise "Belstroy" has obtained license for tourist activities.
In village Lukovo (Malorita district) agro country estate "Domashniy Ochag" ("Hearth") has been registered, in village Gusak on river Rita the agroecotourist object with guest house, bath-house and water tank is being built.
- Tourist zone "Pinsk Polessye"
State environmental institution "Nature reserve "Srednyaya Pripyat'" and "Prostyr'" has worked out 8 kinds of chargeable service for visitors.
State environmental institution "Nature reserve "Zvanets" has created aqua tourist rout (excursion): village Selische – nature reserve "Zvanets".
In Ivanovo district three agro country estates and in village Duboe ( Pinsk district) agro country estate "Duboe on Pina" are registered. Fish cooperative "Loktyshi" has organized chargeable fishing.
4. Tourist zone "Telekhanskaya".
State environmental institution "Nature reserve "Vygoschanskiy" has started tour operator activity and beginning in April 2008 receives tourists.
Guide book of ecological routs in the nature reserve has been published by the department of physical training, sports and tourism.
- Tourist zone "Euroregion "Belovezhskaya Pushcha".
On the territory of the National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" extra car rout to count Tyshkevich's house has been worked out.
Fast-developing agroecotourism gives new impulse to the development of the region. Uniqueness of our region appeals to foreign and native tourists. 42 country estates in the region offer outdoor recreation with an opportunity to learn about traditional country life. The most popular country estates are "Lesnaya" in Kamenec district, "Pruzhanskaya" in Pruzhany district, "Rechnaya" in Zhabinka district, "Sporovskaya" in Bereza district. Apart from comfortable and well-furnished country house and national cuisine, one can enjoy horse riding, sauna and bath, fishing and hunting, get acquainted with folk crafts and take part in folk fests.
The branch of the National tourist agency "Brest Tourist Information Centre" has been opened in Brest .
More than 38 thousand foreign guests arrive in Brest region through the western gates every year.
There are hotels available in Brest region tourist branch that correspond mainly to two- and three-star hotels. In town Kobrin hotel "Suvorov" for 50 berths has been opened, some elements of which correspond to four stars according to the international classification. Brest hotels can accommodate up to 900 people, and hotels of the whole region - 1800 people at the same time.
In every more or less big urban area restaurants, cafes, bars are available; besides, the roadside service along the highway Brest-Minsk is actively developing. The total number of public catering seats makes up 49 thousand.
At present in Brest region the work on the building of infrastructure of 12 tourist routs is being carried out. Many of these routs can form the elements of the system of republic and international routs.
1. "On the way to Belovezhskaya Pushcha" ( Brest – Chernavchitsy – Vidomlya – Kamenec – Kamenyuki). The rout is connected with visiting the monuments of architecture: Troitsky Catholic Church (XVI century) and Kamenec Tower (XIII century), as well as introducing to the museum, constrains and forests of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Hotels, restaurants, sports grounds, rich informative-entertaining programme available allow to organize a good recreation in Pushcha.
The tour is offered by: TEUE "Bresttourist", TEUE "Horizont", LLC "Rosa Vetrov", RUE "Brest-Intourist", LLC "Globus-K", LLC "Kris", LLC "Meridian", SLC BIYT "Sputnik", LLC "Autotour", CUE "Near-border Service", PUTE "Nakhodka", SNP "Belovezhskaya Pushcha", SLC "Otkrytiy Mir"."Polessye transformation" ( Brest – Skoki – Lyshchitsy – Ostromechevo – Gremyacha – Volchin – Vysokoye – Ryasno – Belovezhskiy). The rout is connected with the names of Y. Nemtsevich, August Ponyatovsky, Kazimir Lyshchynsky, Pototsky, and at the same time introduces to the modern life of near-border region, the way of life of the rural districts.
The tour is offered by: RUE "Brest-Intourist", TEUE "Bresttourist", LLC "Globus-K".
3. "The memory of Belarusian land" ( Brest - Vidomlya – Pruzhany – Ruzhany – Slonim – Zhirovichi). Specialized rout connected with religious topic, includes visiting Troitsky Catholic Church (village Chernavchitsy), ruins of the L. Sapega Palace and temples in town Ruzhany, synagogue and Catholic Church in Slonim, Zhirovichi Cloister. On the basis of this rout specialized tour in Zhirovichi Cloister is organized.
The tour is offered by: TEUE "Bresttourist", TEUE "Horizont", RUE "Brest-Intourist", LLC "Globus-K", LLC "Kris", LLC "Autotour", PUTTE "Vetraz'", LLC " Meridian ", SLC "Intourservice", SLC "Nais-tour", SLC BIYT "Sputnik".
4. "Places of Adam Mitskevich's poetry" ( Brest – Kobrin – Stolovichi – Zaosye – Karchevo – lake Svityaz ' – Novogrudok). Thematic tour through the places connected with life and creative work of the poet Adam Mitskevich.
The tour is offered by: TEUE "Bresttourist", TEUE "Horizont", LLC "Rosa Vetrov", RUE "Brest-Intourist", LLC "Globus-K", LLC "Kris", LLC " Meridian ", SLC BIYT "Sputnik".
5. "Their names are to live forever" ( Brest – M. Sekhnovichi – Chizhevshchina – Kobrin – Kossovo – Merachovshchina). The rout goes through places connected with life and activities of commanders Tadeush Kostsyushko and Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov.
The tour is offered by: TEUE "Bresttourist", RUE "Brest-Intourist", LLC "Globus-K", LLC "Autotour", SLC BIYT "Sputnik", CUE "Near-border Service".
6. "Through historical and memorial places of West Belarus" ( Brest – Kobrin – Beryoza – Ivacevichi – Merachovshchina – Baranovichi – Mir – Nesvizh). Objects visited during the tour are monuments of architecture and history: urban district of town Kobrin (XVIII-XIX century), ruins of Cartesians cloister in town Beryoza, Kossovo Catholic Church and Puslovsky Palace by Ivacevichi, Mir and Nesvizh Castles.
The tour is offered by: TEUE "Bresttourist", TEUE "Horizont", LLC "Rosa Vetrov", RUE "Brest-Intourist", LLC "Globus-K", LLC "Kris", LLC " Meridian ", SLC BIYT "Sputnik", LLC "Autotour", PUTTE "Vetraz'", SLC "Intourservice", SLC "Nais-tour", CUE "Near-border Service"."Cradle of Polessye talents" ( Brest – Zakozyel' – Dostoevo – Ivanovo – Motol' – Porechye – Pinkovichi – Pinsk – Lopatino). The rout goes through places connected with life and creative work of Eloisa Ozheshko, Napoleon Orda, Fedor Dostoevsky, Yakub Kolas, Eugenia Yanishchits and many other men of arts, science and culture.
The tour is offered by: LLC "Globus-K", LLC "Rosa Vetrov", TEUE "Bresttourist", SLC "Otkrytiy Mir", RUE "Brest-Intourist", SLC BIYT "Sputnik".
8. "Polessye pattern" ( Brest – Bezdezh – Strel'no – Motol' – Gorodnya). It is an ethnographic tour, introducing to Polessye folk crafts, folk art collectives, folk medicine and national cuisine.
9. " 1812 in Brestchina" ( Brest - Kobrin – Strigovo – Gorodechno – Poddubno). The rout goes through the battle fields of 3 rd Russian army of General A. Tormasov and Austrian and Saxon Corps under the command of General Schwarzenberg and General Renie.
The self-organized tour carried out by tourist clubs, local history and culture studies groups and tourist groups of youth tourism stations and centres.
10. "History of Jewish Ethnic Community" ( Brest – Pinsk – Stolin – urochishce "Stasino). The objects of this test0273 are connected with the life of Jewish community in Brest region and the topic of Holocaust.
The tour is offered by: LLC "Rosa Vetrov", TEUE "Bresttourist", SLC BIYT "Sputnik".
11. "Kayaking on Shchara" ( lake Gat ' – river Lokhozva – river Shchara – town Slonim). Water rout of 2 nd degree of complexity.
The self-organized tour carried out by tourist clubs, local history and culture studies groups and tourist groups of youth tourism stations and centres.
12. "Bicycle riding through Brest Polessye" ( Brest – Zditovo – Bezdezh – Motol' – Ivanovo – lake Okunevskoye – Kontchitsy – Pinsk ). Historical-ecological rout including recreation at the station "Kontchitsy".
The self-organized tour carried out by tourist clubs, local history and culture studies groups and tourist groups of youth tourism stations and centres.
On the basis of the routs mentioned other tourist routs through the territory of the whole region can be organized.