SALE OF ARMENIA-GEORGIA-TURKEY REGIONAL TOUR PACKAGES STARTS IN BRITISH MARKET

Noyan Tapan
April 29, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, NOYAN TAPAN. A British tour operator has started
the sale of tour packages for Armenia-Georgia-Turkey route, NT
correspondent was informed by Alan Saffery, chief expert of the
USAID-financed Competitive Armenian Private Sector (CAPS) program.

In his words, British tourists are interested in visiting Armenia by
Armenia-Georgia regional tour packages, which is conditioned by a short
duration of flights (only 5 hours) between the countries. Japanese
tourists may also be interested in purchasing regional tour packages
icluding Armenia.

It was mentioned that sale of regional tour packages, which include
Armenia and other regional countries (except Georgia), in international
market is connected with solution of political problems. For example,
the sale of Iran-Armenia tour packages has encountered problems in
the U.S. market.

In the opinion of Nadia Pasqual, the program’s travel marketing and
communication advisor, 20-30% of Italian tourists visiting Armenia
by tour packages travel to our country by purchasing Armenia-Georgia
regional tour packages. The total duration of their tour packages
is 13-14 days, while those visiting only Armenia spend 8-9 days
here. Armenian and Georgian tour operators cooperate on organization
of several regional tour packages, and during such combined travels,
no tour guide-related problems arise. In order to encourage the sale
of regional tour packages in international markets, Armenian and
Georgian tour operators should particularly make joint efforts to
brisk up marketing activity.