Become a chocolatier, attend production. How enterprises of Belarus and Leningrad region attract tourists

As enterprises of Belarus and the Leningrad region attract tourists, they told in Minsk at the round table meeting “Industrial tourism as an instrument of international cooperation: experience and practices of the Leningrad region and the Republic of Belarus”. Belta writes about it.

One of the flagships of industrial tourism in Belarus is the Kommunarka confectionery factory. Here guests are invited to plunge into the magical world, where cocoa beans turn into favorite sweets, try themselves in the role of chocolatier, participate in master classes.

As the general director of the enterprise Alexander Nechai said, for 2025, almost 31 thousand people visited Kommunarka with excursions, and in the first half of 2026 - 23 thousand, which is 24% more than in the same period last year. At the end of 12 months, the company expects to overcome the bar of 40 thousand tourists. If five years ago it was overwhelmingly Belarusians, now the tourist flow from Russia has increased significantly. Cooperation with travel agencies is established.

- The tour includes a presentation film, a visit to production shops, tasting. Online reservations are available on the site. Excursions are scheduled until the end of the year. Wanting more than we can accept. There are plans to invest in the infrastructure of industrial tourism, to create a museum, said Alexander Nechai.

General Director of the confectionery factory "Favorite Territory" Alexey Medvedev drew attention to the growing interest in domestic tourism and noted the need to join forces.

- We ourselves develop the methodological base, scenarios of tours, attract tour operators. We work directly with schools, universities, vocational schools. Our youngest visitor is 5 years old, the oldest is 80. We invest in this area, we open a museum, we have a dedicated staff. Last year, about 16,000 people visited the factory. We plan to develop joint projects in the confectionery industry with partners from Belarus, said Aleksey Medvedev.

Head of the department of museum and excursion services and industrial tourism of MAZ OJSC Olga Shibko spoke about the experience of the holding in the field of promtourism. She noted that today guests are interested to see the process of manufacturing equipment from scratch to the finished product. MAZ with the help of excursions promotes its brand, introduces young people to the peculiarities of the profession. Visits are organized not only to the parent company, but also to subsidiaries. MAZ also has its own museum of the history of labor glory.

- We show how technology has evolved, we talk about our dynasties. When conducting excursions, we focus on different target groups: children, students, adults, corporate partners, said Olga Shibko.

Russian company "System Electric" participates in the field of tourism through the supply of solutions for infrastructure and partner promotional campaigns with the possibility of travel. Introductory excursions are organized at the facilities of the company. Director of the Department of Export and CIS countries Sergey Melezhik expressed interest in cooperation with Belarus to promote industrial tours.

Also at the round table, the experience of the Minsk Watch Factory was presented, on the basis of which the updated and only watchmaking museum in Belarus operates, as well as training programs for specialists in the field of industrial tourism. Representatives of tour operators operating in the markets of the two countries expressed their proposals, outlined topical issues. Tourism business, for its part, tries to respond to the needs of tourists, expands routes, including enterprises in the regions.

The event was organized by the Leningrad Region Committee for Foreign Relations and the National Tourism Agency. From career guidance to the impression industry. How industrial tourism has changed in Belarus

Leningrad region offers Belarus to form joint tourism products with visits to enterprises