Context: The State Border Committee reported on July 27 that, since the beginning of 2026, 132,560 foreigners have visited Belarus under the visa-free regime. That’s nearly the same figure as last year for the same period — 133,138 — and almost half of the number recorded in 2023. By the end of July that year, 266,008 people had arrived under the visa-free program. The record for the fewest entries was set in 2024, when by the end of July, just 126,763 foreigners had entered Belarus under the visa-free regime. As in previous years, the majority of travelers come from neighboring countries such as Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland.
During a broadcast of Ekspertnyi Klub. Politicheskoe Radio Show, which aired on Belarusian Radio’s First National Channel on July 30, 2026, national security expert Aleksandr Tishchenko stated that residents of Poland and the Baltic States have become so impoverished that they can only afford vacations in Belarus and Russia.
“People living in Pribaltika* and Poland —they already understand. They already feel it. They’re tired. There’s too much talk, and life isn’t getting any better. It’s just getting worse and worse. For them, if they want to travel somewhere, given their current circumstances or means, the best option is Belarus. And Russia. Why? Because they can afford to do that in our regions. Where else would they vacation? Somewhere farther away? And with what budget, as they say? But there is no such budget. They can't afford their utility bills,” Tishchenko said.
However, official statistics tell a different story. Neither Russia nor Belarus is a top travel destination for residents of Poland or the Baltic States.
Germany was the most popular destination for Polish tourists last year. Italy, Spain, and Greece trailed far behind. The United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Türkiye, and Croatia followed. Neither Belarus nor Russia made it into the top 20 destinations. They were included in the “other countries” category.
According to Latvian statistics, Belarus was among the top 12 foreign vacation destinations for Latvian residents in 2024. However, it ranked behind all the Baltic countries, as well as Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Türkiye, and five other European countries. Importantly, Latvia and Belarus use different methods to count travelers, yielding significantly different results. Belarusian statistics estimate the number to be about 1.5 times higher.
The situation is similar in Lithuania. According to a local survey, Belarus ranks somewhere in the second half of the top 20 destinations of interest for Lithuanian residents. The Belarusian authorities estimated the number of tourists from Lithuania to be 2.5 times higher than the figure reported by the Lithuanian authorities. Even if these figures could be directly compared, Belarus would still not come out on top. Lithuanian residents travel significantly more often to neighboring countries such as Latvia, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Norway, as well as to certain Mediterranean resorts.
For Estonian residents, Belarus does not rank among the top tourist destinations, regardless of the estimation approach. Even Belstat recorded fewer than 8,000 Estonian travelers last year.
*The term “Pribaltika” came into widespread use during the Soviet era. Since Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia regained their independence, the term is no longer used in official terminology. Its use can be compared to using the name “Belorussia” instead of “Belarus.” While “Belorussia” is still used in Russian, it does not correspond to the country’s official name and may be perceived as outdated. The term “Pribaltika” is only used in direct quotes in this article. The editorial team uses the term “Baltic States” throughout the rest of the text.
