DILIJAN TO BECOME ATTRACTIVE FOR TOURISTS AGAIN

Noyan Tapan
Jun 20 2006

DILIJAN, JUNE 20, NOYAN TAPAN. About 10 thousand tourists are expected
to visit Dilijan this year against 3 thousand in 2005. Deputy mayor
of Dilijan Armen Makarian told this to reporters.

According to him, Dilijan has always been a tourist center, the renting
of houses being one of the main incomes of the local residents. He
said that in the 1980s, the city population used to increase threefold
in summer when the number of tourists would reach 70-75 thousand.

The speaker noted that few of the 22 rest homes in Dilijan are
operating now. The Dilijan Sanatorium repaired by SlavGroup will open
again in the next few days, and the Impulse Pension – on June 25. It
is envisaged to put the city hotel (currently under repair) into
operation in May 2007. The Mountainous Armenia Sanatorium under the
jurisdiction of the RA Ministry of Defence is also undergoing repair.

A. Makarian said that the Dilijan historical reserve is being
restored with funds of the Tufenkian Foundation. The reserve was
leased by the foundation for 50 years. It will be restored to its
original appearance and will include a historical museum, a smithy,
carpet-making and other workshops. A 5-star hotel will be built near
the historical reserve by the foundation.

In addition, the Armenian Tourism Development Agency is implementing
the Competitive Private Sector in Armenia Program in the city. Within
its framework, more than 75 private houses offer comfortable conditions
to tourists. In the words of A. Makarian, all these houses accomodate
tourists in summer months.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress