Tourism Sector Records Impressive Results, Says Pashinyan

The number of tourists arriving in Armenia has seen impressive growth from several countries during the first half of 2019. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced this during a press conference at the Vanadzor Technology Center, presenting '100 Facts about New Armenia.'

Specifically, the number of tourists arriving from Germany increased by 59.5%, from China by 53.5%, from the Netherlands by 34.9%, from Switzerland by 30%, from the UAE by 29.7%, from Greece by 29%, from Italy by 24.4%, from the UK by 22.9%, from Japan by 22.2%, from Russia by 19%, from Sweden by 19%, from the USA by 15%, and from France by 13%.

“Overall, we have a 12.8% increase in tourism in the first half of 2019. According to the Central Bank’s calculations, this year, including August, tourists have spent more than $200 million more in Armenia than last year,” said Nikol Pashinyan.

In the first half of 2019, the increase in the number of tourists accommodated in hotels reached 60%. If about 20% of the arrivals were accommodated in hotels during the same period in 2018, that figure rose to 29% in 2019.

“Accordingly, we can state that there is a qualitative growth in the tourism sector, which brings additional foreign currency earnings. The taxes paid by accommodation service providers have increased by 38% compared to the same period last year, by around 1 billion drams,” the Prime Minister noted, adding that tourism organizations' tax payments have grown by 53%, or by 400 million drams. According to Nikol Pashinyan, these are not just statistical figures but economic indicators expressed in specific monetary terms and sizes.