MINSK, 18 August (BelTA) - The government plans to double tourism's contribution to GDP (from the current 2% to 4%), Belarusian First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov told the media following a meeting of the head of state with the Council of Ministers' leadership in Minsk on 18 August, BelTA learned.
As BelTA previously reported, one of the key topics was the proposal to transfer tourism regulatory functions from the Sport and Tourism Ministry to the National Tourism Agency. First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov delivered the keynote report.
"After thorough discussion, the head of state supported the government's initiative, but with personal responsibility for achieving results," Nikolai Snopkov told journalists. "We plan to double the sector's share in GDP to 4%, with annual monitoring and performance marking and personal responsibility for delivering corresponding results each year.”
According to him, achieving these goals is planned, among other things, through reforming the industry into a true vertical and through cooperation between the state and businesses,” he noted. He also drew attention to the multifaceted nature of the tourism sector, which interacts with 55 types of economic activity.
