Vernissage Traders in Desperate Situation Due to Tour Guides' Policies

The traders at Vernissage find themselves in a desperate situation. According to them, the reason lies in the policies of the tour guides and excursion leaders. In an interview with the newspaper "Zhoghavorud", the Vernissage traders expressed their dissatisfaction that the tour guides do not bring tourists to the Vernissage market.

It turns out that tourists are purchasing souvenirs and Armenian jewelry from trade points located outside the city. "They go outside of Yerevan to visit landmarks, where they buy expensive souvenirs, and then they come to us, surprised by our set prices. However, the same guides have internal agreements with foreign shops; if a tourist they guided spends 1 million drams, then 100 thousand drams goes into the guide's pocket. They do not allow tourists to enter our market, and we have no business," complained one of the traders in an interview.

According to them, due to the coronavirus pandemic, they have accumulated considerable debts. Notably, some traders have left their stalls to find other work to earn a living, the newspaper reports.

Read the full article in today's issue of the newspaper.