ARMENIA HOLDS THE 74-TH PLACE IN WORLD TOURISM RATING
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily
02/03/2007

According to information provided by the Armenian "Economy and Values"
partner of the organization, Armenia is the 74-th of 124 states in the
international tourism rating list. Armenia is the third most popular
tourist site among the CIS states and has disadvantage of only Georgia
(the 66-th) and Russia (68-th).

The World Economy Forum report says that the most popular tourist
state remains Switzerland, then come Austria and Germany. The lest
popular countries are Chad, Burundi and Angola.

The competitiveness of countries in the tourism sphere is defined by
three main parameters – corresponding legislation, business are and
infrastructures and human, culture and natural resources. Armenia has
considerable advantage in legislation (rated 65), natural, human and
culture resources (rated 62) and disadvantage in business area and
infrastructures (rated 96). Armenia is attractive in sense due to
high sanitary and hygiene conditions, the security of tourists and
the native people’s welcome for them, as well as suitable prices.

Armenia’s competitiveness mainly suffers from visa regime with the
states whose citizens go touring most frequently, problems with
nature protection, lack of local air and vehicle transportation
infrastructures, etc.

On the other hand Armenia is rated first by elementary education
level and the last by naval port infrastructures.