NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISITING ARMENIA INCREASES BY 25% ANNUALLY
Noyan Tapan
Feb 5, 2008
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. 510 thousand tourists visited Armenia
in 2007, which exceeds the index of 2006 by 33.8%. As Mekhak Apresian,
the Head of the Tourism Department of the RA Ministry of Trade and
Economic Development, said at the February 5 press conference, since
2001 the average annual growth of the number of tourists visiting
Armenia has made 25%. It was also mentioned that nearly 20% tourists
visit Armenia for the purpose of having a rest.
According to him, that growth is conditioned by implementation of
state programs aimed at tourism development. In particular, the RA
government has adoped a Tourism Development Conception. Besides,
the growth of the number of hotels meeting international standards
contributed to it. M. Apresian said that 70 such hotels work in the
country at present. 35 of them are in Yerevan.
M. Apresian said that programs aimed at tourism development will
be implemented in 2008 as well. According to him, a new Tourism
Development Conception has been already submitted for the RA
government’s discussion.
According to M. Apresian, Armenia’s territory is rather small,
therefore the country’s tourism package includes all kinds of tourism,
including ecotourism. It was mentioned that a decision to open
country’s reserves was made last year for the purpose of development
of ecotourism.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
