ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 27 2006
THE AMOUNT OF TOURIST TO ARMENIA TO MAKE 400 THS IN 2006
The number of tourists coming to Armenia will make up 400 ths by the
end of 2006, Ara Petrosyan, Minister of Trade and Economy
Development, said at the international conference on the role of
youth in keeping and developing cultural-cognitive tourism’.
He said that the annual amount of tourists to Armenia increases by
20-25% for the last seven years. It means that the amount has grown
10 times within the period. To compare – 320 ths of tourists visited
Armenia in 2005, and only 40 ths – in 2000.
Hasmik Poghosyan, Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs, said that
apart from reach cultural-historical sights Armenia has all
prerequisites to develop its ecological and agricultural tourism.
Investments in development of tourism infrastructures will be needed
in this case. She pointed out that the Government is regularly
carrying out investment programs to restore cultural and
architectural memorials. Ministry of Trade and Economy Development
reports that half of the tourists come to Armenia to visit friends
and relatives. By estimates, 70% of the tourists are ethnical
Armenians. 31% of tourists arrive to Armenia on business or
diplomatic visits, 5% to improve health problems, and 1% to get
education.
There are 5 ths tourist organizations and operators in Armenia. Every
tourist spends approximately 800-1000 USD during his stay in the
country. About 500 ths USD is annually spent for tourism advertising
in Armenia. Experts say that it is far from being enough to invite
tourists in the state. To compare – in Jordan over 1.5 mln USD is
spent annually in tourism advertising. Tourism experts from Georgia,
Iran, France, Roumania and Belarus participate in the two-day
conference.
From: Baghdasarian