INTERNATIONAL TOURISM DAY OFFICIALLY CELEBRATED IN ARMENIA

ARKA
Sep 29, 2009

YEREVAN, September 29. / ARKA /. International Tourism Day was
officially celebrated for the first time in Armenia on Monday.

"Ministry of Economic Affairs has decided that from now on that day
should be celebrated in Armenia as well, given that the development
of tourism in the country is considered one of the priorities of
government programs," Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said, making a
welcoming speech during the event.

Welcoming and congratulating all present on behalf of the Government,
the Prime Minister said that, despite the financial and economic
crisis, there will be a growth and not a decrease in the tourism
sector in Armenia in 2009.

Sargsyan said that in terms of tourism, the indicators are mainly
formed by the vast majority of our compatriots who come to Armenia,
and it is clear that a significant proportion of these immigrants
can not be tourists in the literal sense of the word.

"In fact, indicators of tourism, which represent the number of
foreigners arriving in Armenia today do not satisfy us, but the
potential is quite high," he said.

The Ministry of Economy of Armenia forecasts that the number of
tourists visiting Armenia for the period from January to September
2009 will amount to 422,500, which is 5% more compared to the same
period last year.

"We wanted to use today’s occasion to give importance to the de
velopment of tourism in Armenia, inviting all market participants and
encouraging the ones who worked for the maximum benefit for tourism
and have made progress. These successes should also be encouraged at
the state level," Sargsyan said

In his turn, the Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan told reporters
that the event will raise the incentives for new investments, improve
the quality of work and create new products.

"We will make this an annual tradition. During such events, we will
honor those people who create value in the field of tourism," he said.

According to the minister, the sphere of tourism has been the most
inert to the global financial crisis.

"At this point in the tourism of Armenia there is a slight increase
of 2% over the same period last year," Yeritsyan said, adding that
the rates are expected to grow.

During the event, representatives of the sphere were presented with
letters of appreciation from the Prime Minister and the Minister of
Economy, as well as gold medals from the Ministry of Economy.