, chief legal adviser of the Tourism Department of the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, told BelTA what is changing in the tourism industry

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Among the innovations: when providing services in the field of international outbound tourism, tour operators must choose one of three methods:

• The first is the tour operator's liability insurance contract;

• The second is a bank guarantee based on the contract between the tour operator and the bank;

• The third is participation in the liability fund of tour operators.

In addition, the new law distributes responsibility between the tour operator and the travel agent.

According to Alexander Krechatov, the tour operator is responsible for his tours, their quality and scope of services.

A travel agent, as a representative of a tour operator, is responsible for contacts with tourists, proper conclusion of contracts and correctness of information from all parties.

The travel agent was also entrusted with the responsibility for receiving and timely transferring money from the tourist to the current account of the tour operator.

The documents also determine how to form and maintain a register of subjects of tourist activity.

The list of subjects will be open and publicly available, it will be posted on the website of the Ministry of Sports and Tourism.

Tourist information centers can now engage in business activities, including tourism.

Certification of guides and audio guides

As for the excursion service, the certification of the mobile program as an audio guide for excursions along the internal tourist routes of Belarus was introduced here.

It is necessary to undergo the procedure at least once every six months.

Both the content of the text and technical support will be evaluated.

A ban has been established on the provision of excursion services without physical persons passing a professional attestation confirming the qualification of a tour guide, guide-interpreter.

According to the new rules, introduced by Government Resolution No. 839 of December 7, those who were judged under Art.

130 of the Criminal Code (inciting enmity), Art.

342 of the Criminal Code (Active participation in actions that grossly violate public order), Art.

367 of the Criminal Code (slander against Lukashenka), art.

368 of the Criminal Code (insulting Lukashenka), art.

369 of the Criminal Code (insulting a representative of the authorities), Art.

370 of the Criminal Code (abuse of state symbols) and other articles.

Guides who have administrative convictions under Art.

19.11 of the Administrative Code (distribution of extremist materials), 24.23 of the Administrative Code (unauthorized picketing), art.

24.22 of the Administrative Code of Administrative Offenses (distribution of pre-arranged false information by the mass media that disgraces Lukashenka's honor and dignity).

Persecution of tour guides and guides

In 2022, security forces arrested several guides,

,

and

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Khmara was convicted in November under Art.

342 CC for 2.5 years of "home chemistry".

He was detained when he was conducting a tour of Minsk.

Mankevich and Chernomortsova are awaiting trials in the pretrial detention center, the article is the same.