The international tourism exhibition held at the "Crocus Expo" center in Moscow has brought considerable benefits to the Lepel district. Lepel region was presented as a distinct tourist product by Olga Makhanenko, the Belarusian side manager of the international project "Water, Nature and People in a Disappearing Landscape. Development of Sustainable Rural Tourism in Russia and Belarus." In autumn, representatives of the Association of Rural Tourism in Russia will visit us, and in early next year, the people of Lepel plan to pay a return visit. Artisans from the Union of Masters of Russia are also keen to visit our district for an exchange of experience. The branch of the organization for international tourism exhibitions in St. Petersburg will assist Lepel artisans when they are ready to export their works to the Russian territory. Local tour operators are also interested in cooperating with the Lepel region; for example, they plan to develop tours from Vitebsk to Polotsk with a stopover in our district. Furthermore, the possibility of holding corporate events and weekend tours here has generated interest.
Ekaterina OSOVSKAYA