Polotsk, Vitebsk, Daugavpils develop cross-border tourist object

The Polotsk town council has launched the preparation of a joint Belarusian-Latvian tourist programme “Bella Dvina – Crossing the Border, Discovering the Culture, Enjoying the Nature of the Western Dvina/Daugava River Space”, BelTA learnt from coordinator of the project Igor Zagrekov, a specialist of the sports and tourism department of the Polotsk town council. The project aims to establish a common cross-border tourist route along the Western Diva-Daugava between Daugavpils, Polotsk and Vitebsk. The project will include the Verkhnedvinsk, Rossony, Beshenkovichi, Miory, Sharkovschina and Vitebsk regions. The first stage of the two-year programme envisages creation of the Polotsk Tourism Information Office and seven tourist information zones in the Polotsk and Vitebsk tourist zones and at the Latvian-Belarusian border. The next stage provides the development of joint tourist routes “Bella-Dvina Region”. The ?500-thousand project will be financed by the European Union. The funds will be allocated to develop the tourist industry of the neighbouring regions of Belarus and Latvia, creation of an up-to-date infrastructure and purchase of tourist equipment. The implementation of the project will start in June 2008.