Russian tourists in Minsk: generous, unpredictable and civilized (poll)

08/05/2013 - 08:23

“They are our very good customers. We are very glad to see them. They really buy everything! Our people can come and look for a certain thing like jeans; they will only be looking for jeans. But you can offer anything to Russian tourists. And their behaviour is different, they are somewhat unpredictable,” a Hugo Boss shop assistant said.

They admire Russian tourists even more when they discover that a visit by a Russian customer can add 10 or 20 million roubles in their day revenues.

Restaurant “Vasilki” also admires our Eastern guests. Their average check is 100 dollars, enough for a whole family of Russians to have a dinner with this money. Russians get stunned when they see the check, saying only one person could eat with that money in Moscow. Their food orders in Minsk are simple: potato pancakes.

“They usually order potato pancakes. With salmon, bacon and meat. They like potato babka with bacon. If they are under 30, they may be rude: ‘We are Russia!’ Older people who come with their family are civilized. They laugh at our costs. When they see the check, they start photographing it and showing it to one another.”

Euroradio has found out that Russians do not only go to restaurants and designer clothing boutiques in Minsk. Employees of the Hermitage and Tretyakov Gallery come to look at Belarusian valuables in the Belarusian Arts and History Museum.

“There are many groups and excursions. There is a lot of Russian tourists. They like it here a lot. We can even meet our colleagues form the Hermitage and Tretyakov Gallery.”

The May holidays season in Russia will end on May 12. The next influx of Russian tourists is expected in Belarus at the end of December during the Christmas and New Year vacations. It will be the last rehearsal before the World Ice Hockey Championship to be hosted by Minsk in May 2014.