The Impact of Coronavirus on Tourism in Armenia is Clearly Visible: A Unified Headquarters Established, Says Avinyan

On March 14, a consultation led by Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan took place at the government regarding the development of a policy package to counter the negative consequences of the spread of coronavirus on Armenia's economy.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister's office, Avinyan stated: “As you know, the new type of coronavirus not only poses a threat to human lives and health, but also inflicts significant damage on the global economy, leading to specific problems and negative phenomena in each country. In particular, this is clearly visible in the tourism sector in Armenia, which is natural.

“Today we will discuss the proposals developed by various departments. I believe that in a very short time we will finalize an action plan that will allow us to prevent and mitigate the consequences to some extent, as well as create certain opportunities in the long run.

“In addition to socio-economic issues, I would also like to inform those present about the work that is being carried out, so to speak, around the clock. You all are already aware of the newly discovered cases, which are mainly from the group that has been in quarantine and are participants of a known engagement.

“A unified headquarters is being formed with the involvement of the Ministry of Health, law enforcement agencies, and regulatory body staff, which is engaged in search operations, and at this time, these activities are being carried out quite effectively. Our office, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be working every day.”

During the consultation, discussions focused on efforts to identify and assess the potential impacts on Armenia's economy as comprehensively as possible. Detailed attention was given to economic incentives and tools in both the short-term and medium-term, depending on various scenarios of events. Participants presented preliminary proposals, and it was decided that an economic operational group would be formed under the Deputy Prime Minister's office to continue daily operations and present a unified package of actions.