BIG GROUP OF TOURISTS FROM ARMENIA TO SPEND VACATIONS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH

ARKA
Aug 18, 2009

YEREVAN, August 18, /ARKA/. A big group of tourists from Armenia
left for Nagorno-Karabakh on Monday for a week-long vacation. Ruben
Grigorian, president of RUMEA Fascinating Travels Club, told
journalists that the group comprises 61 people. The vacation was
organized as part of a pilot program, designed by the government of
Nagorno-Karabakh to boost tourism.

The government of Nagorno-Karabakh asked the authorities in Yerevan
to urge citizens of the Republic of Armenia to spend their vacations
in Nagorno-Karabakh offering also a flexible and accessible pricing
system.

Grigorian said they are planning to attract tourists from other
countries to Nagorno-Karabakh as well, adding that they have received
already applications from Canadian and Swedish tourists. The RUMEA
Club has developed an interesting program for tourists who will
visit the capital city Stepanakert, Shushi, old monasteries, the
recently excavated Tigranakert town, a new aqua park, local museums
and other sites.

According to Grigorian, they will extend the tours beyond
September because a great number of citizens of Armenia wish to see
Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to a tourist who was leaving for Nagorno-Karabakh on Monday,
spending a vacation in Nagorno-Karabakh is more preferable than
vacationing in other countries.

Earlier this summer, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan called
on travel agencies and his government to join efforts and launch a
wide-range campaign to advertise in-Armenian tourism via TV, radio and
press and urged citizens of Armenian to spend their summer vacations
in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, as a way to boost tourism there
and infuse much-needed revenues into the Karabakh national budget.