PREREQUISITES OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN NKR
Svetlana Khachatryan

Azat Artsakh Newspaper NKR
November 30, 2009

On the invitation of participating in celebration devoted to the 40th
anniversary of Artsakh State University and international symposium,
in these circles leading the works of department of economics of
the symposium the doctor of geographical sciences, professor, the
academician of international Academy of ecology Sergey Melkumyan was
in Artsakh recently. The man, who is closely connected with the native
land and is full of care with the problems of social, economical and
protective spheres of our newly independent republic.

During the years of Artsakh’s war, at NKR authorities’ request,
S.Melkumyan founded professorial groups, in order that economic
students studying in Artsakh State University could pass exams (there
were not local specialists or they were in battle-field). By NKR
authorities’ assignment, under the direct leadership of today’s rector
of Erevan State Economic University Ju. Suvaryan, one of these groups
had a walk round Artsakh and made up the plan of NKR restoration and
development. S.Melkumayan has many works devoted to Artsakh. He was
the first after Artsakh’s movement who composed NKR map, embracing
liberated territories.He is also the author of "NKR geography " book.

The question of prerequisites of tourism and rest industry development
in NKR excites interest in the lines of many themes read in the
symposium, abouth which the theses of the scientist, we think, will
interest our readers. Being comparatively the sphere demanding little
inputs, the tourism may become one of the most profitable branches in
NKR, Sergey Melkumyan is sure. What we have in the work of developing
the tourism industry? Rather much,- he says. He visited many countries
and studied their experience, countries, in economy of which the
incomes from tourism are heavy. For instance, Cyprus is a country
having 700 thousand population and 9 thousand square metre territory,
but yearly some million tourists come and the country gets colossal
incomes. Yearly 10 million tourists visit Greece, and each tourist
leaves in this country on average 1000 dollars. S.Melkumyan finds,
that tourism development with the following prerequisites is very
important for NKR: if Cyprus, for example, has one-sided recources
– the sea, in Karabakh there are real resources, which are side by
side.But what we have exactly?

Architectural ancient obelisks, which are important circumstances in
tourism development, but are betrayed to carelessness. The biggest
of them, of course is Gandzasar, which is fortunately, in good
order. But only Gandzasar is not sufficient, the scientist says.We
have also Amaras, which is in a sad state. While Mashtots opened
the first school here.It’s a cisrcumstance exciting great interest
to foreigners. S. Melkumyan finds, that in this sense, Shushi can
also play a single role. In the world such mountinous towns, which
have fresh air, climatic normal conditions, are few. Its climate is
rather mild. Moreover, Shushi may excite interest not only from the
point of view of tourism. In Soviet years there are some rest-homes
there.He suggests to revive all this. So, the main prerequisites
of tourism development are resources representing restoration of
historical architectural obelisks and improvement of environment.
We don’t use mineral water of NKR, says the scientist. In liberated
Karvachar’s region is the same water as Jermuk, but it’s barbarism,
that this mineral water flows in Tartar river.A question arises: in
what way to appropriate it, if we have not well-maintained roads? For
this, it’s necessary, that we have the second – the well-maintained
high-way: from Sotk to Gandzasar above Karvachar, then to the capital,
he explains. Environment protection has to do closely with tourism
development, which must be paid much attention. In that sense, in
what conditions are our siteseeings? Identically – the worst. In one
word, we have many-sided real resources combined with each other, but
still we can’t use them fully, the scientist notes painly. In Artsakh
University it’s already six years that there is a tourism speciality,
but there are not warranted guides till now in the country.

S.Melkumyan assured, that he would take up the question himself,
in order that experienced guides accompanied tourism groups.