CNN INTENDS TO AIR COMMERCIALS ADVERTISING ARMENIA IN 2006

Noyan Tapan
Mar 29 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. 318 thousand tourists visited Armenia
in 2005 against 45 thousand in 2000, that is, over the last 5 years
this index has increased about sevenfold. Quite dynamic developments
have also been registered in the internal tourism sector as well. RA
Deputy Minister of Trade and Economic Development Ara Petrosian
stated this at the March 29 hearings in the RA National Assembly. At
the same time he noted that there are still many problems in the
tourism sector. The subject of the hearings, which were organized by
the NA Standing Committee on Financial, Credit, Budget and Economic
Issues, was “Tourism in Armenia: Problems and Prospects”. The problems
preventing the development of tourism were discussed by represenatives
of the departments and organizations concerned, in the almost complete
absence of NA deputies. The high price of tourist packages was pointed
out. In the words of A. Petrosian, 10 years ago the starting conditions
of tourism in Armenia were quite poor: the ruined infrastructures,
lack of experience of organizing tourism in line with international
standards and the appropriate staff, only one or two hotels, etc. Over
the last 6-7 years, 35-40 hotels have been constructed or repaired,
which allowed to form a flexible competitive system. Most of the
museums of interest for tourists, as well as many roads have undergone
major repairs. Yet some community roads leading from motorways to
historical and cultural monuments are in need of repair. It is also
necessary to modernize Zvartnots Airport. According to the deputy
minister, it is planned to put the new arrival hall into operation in
2006, and the new terminal – in 2007. The 2006 state budget envisages
215 mln drams (about 478 thousand USD) for tourism advertising in
order to present Armenia in other countries. A. Petrosian noted
that the airing of commercials on CNN is already possible this
year. Besides, a draft law on making amendments to the law on the
status of foreign citizens will soon be subitted to the government
for consideration. It envisages the opportunity to conduct a flexible
policy of visa granting, particularly the unilateral granting of
the right to visit Armenia without a visa to the citizens of some
countries in case of expediency.