TOURISM: HOTELS IN ARMENIA CHEAPER

Panorama.am
20:40 18/06/2008

During the first three months of this year 83 thousands tourists
visited Armenia which is by 15% more compared with the same period
of the previous year. In 2007 510 thousands tourists visited Armenia,
said the head of tourism department of the Ministry of Economy Mekhak
Apresyan.

According to him the events of March 1 had their negative impact on
the number of tourists visiting Armenia but as the situation is now
stable it is expected to receive 600 thousands tourists in 2008. He
said that according to the document affirmed by the RA Government,
Armenia should receive 3mln tourists annually.

This year tourists from Turkey, Honk Kong, Taiwan, Finland arrived
in Armenia for the first time ever, generally tourists from Russia,
Georgia, USA and European countries arrive. According to Apresyan 60%
of tourists are Armenians, and only 40% are foreigners.

M. Apresyan said that Armenia is attractive for not only its nature
but for its historical monuments. As for the expensive hotels in
Armenia, he said that they are not so expensive compared with the
regional countries and that hotels in Paris are by 50% higher.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress