Representatives of Armenia's Tourism Sector Raise Alarm Over 'Crisis Situation'

Representatives of Armenia's tourism sector have expressed concern regarding a number of issues that have arisen following the Artsakh war and the subsequent border adjustments. They are set to discuss these issues with government representatives this Thursday, as announced by Mekhak Apresyan, the president of the Armenian Tourism Federation, during a press conference.

“Today, our business community, particularly the representatives of the tourism sector, lack information. They want to know which directions can be developed for tourism packages, under what conditions visits to Artsakh should be organized, and what issues may arise related to the coronavirus. It is important that they receive information firsthand,” said the expert.

Apresyan added that the Nagorno-Karabakh war has had a significant negative impact on the tourism sector in Armenia. There is a need for substantial work to be done with embassies and Armenian communities abroad that have a target audience. It is essential to develop a marketing strategy aimed at establishing Armenia's image as a safe country to visit.

Regarding statistical indicators, external tourism volume was reduced by 78.2% in 2020 compared to the first nine months of 2019, while internal tourism volume decreased by 33.5%. Overall, Apresyan predicts an 80% reduction in the number of tourists for 2020, which equals about 1.5 million people. Despite some activity noted during the summer, internal tourism is also suffering losses. In 2019, approximately 1.4 million visits were recorded in the country, whereas in 2020, this figure did not exceed 934,000.

According to the Ministry of Economy, the number of tourists decreased by 75.5% from January to September in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. This year, Armenia has welcomed 327,735 visitors. According to data from the World Tourism Organization, the tourism sector experienced a decline of 72% from January to October 2020, with 900 million fewer people traveling compared to the same period last year.