Armenpress

NINETY PERCENT OF TOURISTS SAY THEY WOULD LIKE TO
VISIT ARMENIA AGAIN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS: According to a
study conducted by Armenian National Statistical
Service in cooperation with Armenian Tourism
Development Agency and the USAID an average tourist
from a former Soviet republic visiting Armenia is a 40
year-old male of Armenian descent who comes here to
see his relatives or friends.
He stays here about 22 days at his relatives or
friends and tours Etchmiadzin, Sevan Lake and
Tsakhkadzor. He is very pleased with services offered
by hotels and restaurants and during his stay he
spends $55 a day on average. The study was launched in
2006 September and is still underway at Zvartnots
airport in Yerevan and Shirak airport in Gyumri and
overland border check points.
Only 18 percent of all foreign tourists come here
for rest and leisure. The studies have also revealed
that half of them are of Armenian origin. The best
finding is that almost 90 percent of respondents said
they would like to visit Armenia again.
The government expects that the number of foreign
tourists visiting Armenia will grow from 380,000 last
year to 480,000. Ara Petrosian, a deputy minister of
trade and economic development dealing with the local
tourism industry, said yesterday the forecast will be
backed up by release of 70 million drams ($195,000) in
public funds for promotional campaigns to boost
foreigners’ interest in Armenia.