NUMBER OF TOURISTS TO ARMENIA GROWS YEAR BY YEAR

Noyan Tapan

Se p 12, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. 207,489 tourists visited Armenia
in the first half of 2008, which was by 13.3% more than in the
same period of 2007, the head of the Tourism Department of the RA
Ministry of Economy Mekhak Apresian said at the September 11 press
conference. The number of domestic tourists and those who travelled
abroad also grew by 13% and 12.8% respectively.

According to M. Apresian, this growth is conditioned by the state
policy in the sector. He pointed out that but for the March 1 events,
the number of tourists to Armenia would have been greater this year.

The chairman of the Association of Armenian Tour Operators Robert
Minasian described 2008 as a year of survival: a lot of tourists
declined to come to Armenia because of the March 1 events and
the war in Georgia. "They take a look at a map, see that Armenia
is situated next to Georgia and think that it is not safe here,"
he explained. Besides, in his words, the respective departments of
some countries, including Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, do not
guarantee security of their citizens who intend to visit Armenia.

M. Apresian said that the majority of tourists to Armenia are from
Russia, Georgia, EU countries, Iran and the U.S. This year tourists
from Thailand and Costa Rica have visited our country for the first
time.

It was mentioned that a tourist spends 700-800 USD during a visit
to Armenia. In the first six months of 2008, 160-165 million USD was
spent by tourists in Armenia, which exceeds by about 20 million USD
the index of the same period of last year.