"COUNTRY OF TALKING STONES" 8TH INTERNATIONAL TOURISM EXHIBITION KICKS OFF

ARMENPRESS
Nov 7, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS: "Country of Talking Stones" CTS’
2008 eighth international tourism exhibition opened today in "Moscow"
cinema with the participation of 64 organizations including traveling
agencies and operators, hotel complexes and rest houses, insurance
companies, state and non-governmental organizations, restaurants, etc.

Besides local companies, representatives of a number of organizations
of tourism spheres of Karabakh, Georgia, Uzbekistan and Turkey are
participating in the exhibition. From the Armenian provinces Kotayk,
Shirak and Vayots Dzor are represented in separate pavilions.

Organizer of the exhibition, representative of the Armenian office
of American Union of Traveling Agents Yeghishe Tanashian said that
this time the number of participants increased and the majority of
them are associations functioning in the tourism sphere.

This year the organizers initiated traveling of the representatives of
the foreign tourism organizations through Armenia’s historic-cultural,
natural monuments which will give them an opportunity to get acquainted
with Armenia’s sightseeing. Next year the traveling will be organized
in more places.

"The goal of the exhibition is to first of all promote the inner
and regional tourism, informing the public, potential clients,
stakeholders, about the tendencies of development of the sphere,
creating a forum for all the sides interested in the sphere," he said.

The Economy Minister Nerses Yeritsian said that all the represented
organizations help the government to carry out programs directed
towards the development of the sphere, select the prior directions
and be guided by them. He pointed out that each year not only the
geography of the participants expands, but also the number and quality
of products increases.

"Our goal is to present Armenia to the world through tourism packages,
increase the quality of life, at the same time increasing the quality
of services, as well as promote the realization of that quality in
provinces," he said.

According to him, Armenian government has developed a five-year program
of events which is being headed by the Armenian government. The
priority of the program is to make historic-cultural monuments
available. As one of the important elements the establishment and
coordination of legislative and service standards of the tourism
sphere have been noted.

This annual exhibition has been conducted under the sponsorship of
the Armenian Economy Ministry by the Armenian office of American
Union of Traveling Agents with the support of USAID’s CAPS program.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress