ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT

Noyan Tapan
Feb 13, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. At the February 13 sitting, the
Armenian government approved the tourism development concept. The
concept was developed by the USAID-financed Competetive Armenian
Private Sector (CAPS) program in cooperation with "Armenia 2020"
project and "Economy and Values" research center. The current state
of the tourism sector of Armenia, international experience, as well
as the results of examination and analysis of problems and proposals
presented by the Armenian Tourism Development Agency (ATDA) and the
private sector were taken into account in developing this concept. The
purpose of the tourism development concept is to define and assess
the tendencies and prospects of tourism development in Armenia,
establish the main goals of state policy in the tourism sector,
assess challenges and obstacles and determine the tasks, directions
and principles of state policy for the implemenation of these goals.

The RA minister of trade and economic development Nerses Yeritsian
told reporters after the sitting that the concept is aimed at not only
increasing the number of tourists to Armenia but also at extending
the tourism season in the country, ensuring an active flow of tourists
throughout the year.

According to the minister, the range of tourist services should be
extended, which will result in a growth of revenues.

N. Yeritsian said that during the development of the concept,
Armenia was compared with other similar countries, based on which
some long-term forecasts were made, with 2030 being established as
deadline for their implementation. In particular, it is planned to
increase the number of tourists to Armenia to 1.5 million in 2020
and to 3 million in 2030.

Allocations to the sector are planned to grow from current 300-400
million dollars to 1.3-1.5 billion dollars in 2020 and to about 3
billion dollars in 2030.

In the words of the minister, the major prerequisites for developing
tourism in Armenia are historical and cultural values and nature. So
special attention should be paid to cluster development of lodgings
in rural areas.