On June 15, Novogrudok /Tatyana Pastushenko - BELTA/. Minister of Culture Pavel Latushko and Minister of Sport and Tourism Oleg Kachan proposed to more actively promote the historical and cultural heritage sites of Belarus within the country and abroad. They discussed this today at a meeting of the joint collegium of the two ministries, dedicated to the development of tourism industry facilities and roadside infrastructure, BELTA correspondent reports. The collegium members noted the poor awareness of foreign guests about Belarus's tourist sites (lack of advertisements and brochures in foreign languages, audio guides, thematic films and videos, insufficient number of tourist signs). Among the problems raised by the ministers were the absence of protection zones at architectural sites, which significantly hinders infrastructure development, insufficiently active implementation of foreign colleagues' experience in the problematic area, and the possibility of extending museum opening hours, including to night time. After discussion, the collegium members reached the following decisions: to develop draft protection zones for immovable tangible historical and cultural values, to take measures to form tourist quarters using non-residential premises on the ground floors of buildings in historical zones of settlements, to create presentation videos (documentary films) about the most significant historical and cultural heritage sites of the country, to participate in the international tourism exhibition "TourBusiness-2011" in Minsk, where Mir Castle and Nesvizh Palace and Park Ensemble will be presented, and to submit proposals for the organization and holding of animation programs in Grodno, Novogrudok, Mir, Golshany, Krevo. -0-

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