Belarus

Market specific information 
  

Significance for Azerbaijan 

Belarus is one of the most important target markets for Azerbaijan's tourism sector. Its importance has grown significantly in recent years, as evidenced by the increase in tourist flows from Belarus, especially since the pandemic. In 2025, Azerbaijan consistently ranked among the top five most popular CIS countries among Belarusian travellers.

Belarusian tourists highly value:

- The country's rich history and culture.

- Unique natural beauty—from the Caspian Sea to the mountain resorts.

- The hospitality and openness of the locals.

- National cuisine and winemaking traditions.

- Opportunities for skiing and wellness.

- The harmonious blend of modernity and ancient traditions in the appearance of Azerbaijani cities.

Thanks to such a diverse range of experiences, Azerbaijan is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for travellers from Belarus.  

 

Main holidays period 

• Summer holidays – June 1–August 31

• Autumn holidays – November 1–November 8 

• Winter holidays/New Year – December 30–January 12

• Spring holidays – March 21–March 28

• May holidays fall on May 1 and 9

 

Tourist Information 

 
Profile of the tourist 

The average age of a Belarusian tourist is 38 years old. The majority of Belarusian travellers (62%) were between 30 and 50 years old.

 
Holiday types 

• Recreation in nature and by the water: Popular destinations include recreation on lakes (Braslav Lakes, Naroch), rivers, and in farmsteads. Weekend trips with accommodation in country houses and sanatoriums are popular.

• Short city trips: Belarus is often chosen for short excursion tours: Minsk, Grodno, Brest, Vitebsk. Convenient logistics and a developed transport network allow trips of 2-3 days.

• Cultural holidays and history: There is high interest in museums, historical sites, castles (Mir, Nesvizh), memorials and architectural monuments. Historical reenactment festivals and folk festivals are regularly held in the country.
• Adventure and Sports: Hiking and cycling in national parks, skiing in winter, river rafting, golf and other outdoor activities are popular.

• Gastronomic tours: There is a growing interest in tasting Belarusian cuisine, visiting cheese factories, breweries, farms and gastronomic festivals.
• Health and medical tourism: Belarus is known for its sanatoriums and recreation centres with mineral waters, mud therapy, and spa programs. Detoxification, weight loss, and wellness courses are in demand.

Events and festivals: Music and folklore festivals, sporting events, fairs and city festivals are of great interest.

According to the latest survey, 50% of travellers prefer to travel with family and children, 26% with couples, and 14% alone. The most popular destinations among respondents are seaside resorts (64%), followed by mountain trips (13%), historical sites (11%), and car trips (7%). 

 

Preferences 

• Language: Belarusians are generally fluent in Russian, and many also speak Belarusian. The older generation (60+) rarely speaks foreign languages, so when choosing foreign destinations, they prefer countries where Russian or English is understood.

• Belarusians value both winter and summer recreation. In winter, ski resorts are popular (in Belarus – Logoisk, Silichi, the Yakut Mountains, as well as trips to neighbouring countries). In summer, lakeside vacations (Naroch, Braslav Lakes), rivers, and seaside vacations are popular, as are relaxing family vacations.

• For summer family vacations, Belarusians often choose sanatoriums, resorts, and hotels with all-inclusive or half-board meals. This is especially true for trips with children.
• Within the country, Belarusians actively use national payment systems (for example, Belkart, BELKART-Maestro). When traveling abroad, they prefer countries where their cards are accepted, or use cash. In Russia and some other countries, payment is possible with Belkart and Mir cards.
• Belarusians carefully plan their trips: they study reviews on online platforms, consult with friends and acquaintances, and often turn to travel agencies to organize complex itineraries. More and more independent travellers are using the internet to book tickets, hotels, and excursions.

Average Spending 

In 2025, Russian tourists spent an average of US$1,800 per person on foreign holidays.

  
Key travel audience 

• Families

• Seniors

• Couples

• Millennials

 
Information source 

• Social media (VKontakte, Telegram)

• Word-of-mouth recommendations from friends

• Travel agencies and tour operators

• OTAs and aggregators (such as Ostrovok.ru, Yandex Travel, Ozon Travel, Aviasales, OneTwoTrip, KAYAK, Tutu.ru)

• Magazines (print and online)

• TV programs/Radio

 

Planning and travel decision period 

In a climate of instability, Belarusians often make travel decisions at the last minute. Short-term tours and weekend getaways are in demand. Travelers traveling through agencies book package tours two to three months in advance. Planning for summer vacations, New Year's, and the May holidays begins three to six months in advance.

 

Sources for purchase 

• Travel agencies (offline booking)

• Online travel agencies/aggregators (online booking)

• Direct booking with accommodation providers and other organizations. 

 

Distribution system 

• Online travel agencies and aggregators: Ostrovok.ru, Yandex Travel, Ozon Travel, MTS Travel, Tutu.ru, OneTwoTrip, KAYAK, Aviasales.
• Tour operators (important for Azerbaijan):
• Mass market: FUN&SUN, PAC Group, Space Travel, Russian Express, ICS, Evroport, and others.
• Primarily for individual travel: Jet Travel, Panteon, Vand, Sodis, Karlson Tourism, PAKS, and others.
    

 

Special interest tourism 

Specialized tour operators (active sports, winemaking, golf, MICE events).

 
Travel duration 

In 2025, the average duration of the main vacation for Russians was about 7 days.

 
Travel trade information  

List of leading tour operators (outgoing in general): 

1. AeroBelService

2. Coral Travel

3. FUN&SUN

4. Anex Tour

5. Tez Tour

6. Intercity

7. Time Voyage

8. Kompas

9. Rosting

10. AeroTravel

 

Direct flights 

 

Major events in the market 

• IV Belarusian-Russian Tourism Congress.
•  International Exhibition and Fair "Otdykh-2026"
• Expo HORECA Minsk 2026
• International Tourism Forum TRAVEL HUB "Sodruzhestvo"
• WHERETOEAT BELARUS Awards Ceremony 

ATB events  

 

 Russian tourists in Azerbaijan: Key insights 

Arrivals 

The number of Belarusian citizens visiting Azerbaijan in 2025 remained unchanged compared to 2024.

In January-February 2026, the number of Belarusian citizens visiting the country decreased by 7.4% compared to the same period in 2024.

In January-August 2025, 63.4% (2,686 people) of Belarusian citizens visiting Azerbaijan were tourists.

 

Source: State Migration Service 

Statistics 

 

Purpose of Visit 

50% of Belarusian tourists who visited Azerbaijan travelled for leisure and entertainment, 23% came to visit friends and relatives, 22% came for business, and 5% for medical treatment and transit.

 
Average Spending 

The average Russian tourist spends 1,100 AZN in Azerbaijan.

Budget breakdown:

- Accommodation: 35%;

- Meals: 22%;

- Transportation: 6%;

- Flights: 37%. 

 

Length of Stay 

- 1–3 nights: 25% of Belarusian tourists.

- 4–7 nights: 45% of Belarusian tourists.

- 8–11 nights: 20% of Belarusian tourists.

- More than 11 nights: 10% of Belarusian tourists.

Popular Regions (destinations within Azerbaijan) 

The most visited regions of Azerbaijan by Belarusians are Baku, Guba/Gusar, Khachmaz and Naftalan.

 
Tourist Preferences and Interests 

Belarusian tourists visiting Azerbaijan prefer a variety of cultural and historical activities, including architectural landmarks, nature tourism, gastronomic and wine-making delights, festivals, and various events.

Products of Azerbaijan that connect to the Russia market can be grouped into “Fits all” – products that all first-time visitors should see or experience, “Add-ons” – products that can be seen or experienced with longer or repeat visits, and “Tailored” – products that are considered of specific relevance to the market. 

 

	Fits all	Add-on	Tailored
Monument & Historical Buildings	Baku’s Old Buildings  Shirvanshah’s Palace  Ateshgah Temple  Gobustan Reserve  Mud Volcanes  Yanardag Reserve  Khinalig Reserve  Shaki Khan Palace
Museums & galleries	Heydar Aliyev Centre  Carpet Museum  Ali Shamsi Studio  Miniature book museum	National History Museum  Museum of Modern Art  Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory
Medical Tourism	Naftalan  Lankaran  Qalalti  Gabala (Chenot Palace)		Duzdag
Festivals & Events Tourism	Formula 1  Concerts  Sport events		Dream Fest
Cultural & Culinary Experiences	Visiting local bazaars  Culinary centers  Sheki baklava shops  Lankaran Citrus Valley  Black caviar tours  Gastro tours (incl. Slow Food in North-West Regions)  Wine tours in Meyseri, Savalan, Chabiant and Khan Winery	Nij village (Udi / Caucasian-Albanian)  Basqal village (national heritage)  Sim village (Talish)  Ivanovka village (Russian Molokan)  Red village (Mountain Jews)
Sports	Water sports in Caspian Sea	Ski Activities  Zip line  Roller coaster

 

Additional information 

 

Belarus outbound tourism forecast 

In 2024, the Belarusian outbound tourism market reached 618,000 tourists, and in 2025, this figure increased to approximately 700,000, an increase of 82,000 compared to the previous year. If the current trend continues, further growth of another 80,000-100,000 is projected in 2026.

Belarusians are increasingly choosing Asian destinations for travel, including for event tourism. At the same time, interest in non-traditional vacation formats is growing demand for road trips and campervan trips is increasing, although these options are still less popular compared to other countries. Overall, the Belarusian outbound tourism market is demonstrating steady growth and a broadening range of travel preferences. 

 

Top tips for the Belarus market 

• It is recommended to plan short weekend or 3-5-day trips to Baku and major cities of Azerbaijan.

• To organize such tours, it is best to contact leading Belarusian tour operators specializing in Azerbaijan.

• 7-10-day tours with visits to Baku, excursion and wellness centres, and recreation on the Caspian Sea are optimal.

• Collaborating with regional travel agencies will allow you to find the most cost-effective and convenient options.

• For the summer season - early March.

• For the winter (ski) season - early September.

• Baku is often a starting point for travel around the country, as well as a convenient transit point for onward travel.

• Combined tours are popular: the capital + regions, excursions + beach or wellness vacations.

• Azerbaijan is actively developing the MICE (business events, conferences, incentive tours) sector.

• For corporate clients, it is recommended to book hotels and conference rooms in advance, especially during the high season.

• Be sure to try the national cuisine and visit the local markets.

• For health improvement, consider tours to Naftalan or the thermal springs.

• During the summer, book beach hotels in advance—demand among Belarusians is consistently high.

Therefore, Belarusian tourists should combine sightseeing, wellness, and beach programs, book tours in advance, and use the services of trusted tour operators for maximum comfort and unforgettable experiences.