Number of Tourists Visiting Armenia in Three Months Revealed

On May 27-28, the regional tourism exhibition "Discover Armenia" will take place in Yerevan, featuring interesting events with representation from all regions. This was mentioned by Sisian Poghosyan, head of the Tourism Committee of the Ministry of Economy, during a press conference today, April 7.

According to Poghosyan, the Armenian regions will have their own booths to showcase their culture, cuisine, wine, adventure tourism, and nature-related activities. “There will be competition among them. Participants can register on our Facebook page, and during these two days, there will also be lotteries, and registered individuals can participate. The prizes will be various tours. There will also be a separate adventure booth,” he noted.

Poghosyan also stated that in 2022, there was a 20 percent increase in domestic tourism compared to 2021. “We have a website showcasing the unique places of Armenia that tourists can visit. By the end of the year, we will support 10 new businesses that will create 10 new tour products right in Armenia.” He also presented some statistical figures, stating, “In March, we had 160,000 tourists in Armenia, which is a good number for us. In 2019, we had 119,000 tourists. In the first three months of this year, we had 450,000 tourists, whereas in the first quarter of 2019, we had 360,000 tourists. There is a significant influx from Russia and also from Iran, especially since their Nowruz was recently celebrated. We have had quite a few tourists from Iran, as well as from Georgia at this moment. We have conducted substantial work with Dubai, and we are already seeing results. There is a significant flow from Dubai in the first three months. We have direct flights with three cities in Italy, which also ensures a flow of tourists from Italy. Our target markets include Russia, Iran, Georgia, the Armenian Diaspora in America, and we are also working on markets in Germany, France, and Dubai.”

When asked what interests tourists coming to Armenia, Sisian Poghosyan replied, “They vary; for instance, German tourists are interested in hiking, but those coming from Dubai are more interested in winter tourism, as they tend to visit more in winter since there is no winter in Dubai.”