Armenia to closely cooperate with European tour operators
13.02.2010 16:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Active cooperation with European tour operators will
be the focus of the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia
(NCFA) in 2010, particularly operators from England, Germany and
France, Bekor Papazyan , NCFA Executive Director told a briefing at
the Government of Armenia.

"We intend to offer a number of new tourist products to people
visiting Armenia," he said. Among the proposed products he mentioned
the national cuisine and the Tatev monastery complex. Cableway at the
Tatev monastery will be put into operation this fall, and the
monastery complex will be completely renovated by 2012.

The NCFA Board of Trustees held a meeting from 13 to 14 February in
Yerevan under the chairmanship of Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran
Sargsyan. The proposals on joining the Fund with the Armenian Tourism
Development Agency, as well as on cooperation with USAID. Will be
submitted to the meeting.

Contract for construction of the cableway leading to the Tatev
monastery complex was signed in Yerevan on July 14. Construction of
the cableway is part of the Revival and restoration of Tatev
20-million-worth program carried out by NCFA since February 2009. The
cost of the construction of the cableway is 6,8 million euros.

Tatev monastery was a major cultural center with a scriptorium, a
library and one of the most famous medieval universities.

On February 11, 2010 the Government of Armenia adopted Tourism
Development Program in Armenia for 2010 . The number of tourists
visiting Armenia in 2009, increased by 3% and amounted to 575 281
tourists. Tourism Development Program requires 2,5-3 billion
investments, the state is ready to pay USD 700 million.