Unfortunately, We Spend Very Little Money: Papoyan on Tourists

The entry of international brands into Armenia is a priority for the Armenian government. Since tourism is also an important sector of our economy, we have a strategic goal to reach at least 3 million tourists in the coming years, specifically to have 3 million or more tourists by 2030–2031. Therefore, it is very important that many brands come to Armenia, including tourism and transportation service providers.

This was stated by Gevorg Papoyan, the Minister of Economy of Armenia, during a press conference at the opening ceremony of the ‘Wizz Air’ airline’s base.

“If we want to have tourists, first of all, these tourists must arrive in Armenia as easily, affordably, and quickly as possible. Let's imagine a few years ago how, for example, an Armenian citizen would reach Rome. Most likely, they would have had to buy an expensive ticket, go to, say, Moscow, wait there for several hours, and then fly to Rome, which would take much longer and cost several times more, often 10 times or more than it does now. If, for example, this was very difficult for an Armenian citizen, it is hard to imagine that, for instance, an Italian citizen would have such a difficult time coming to Armenia. Therefore, this is a great opportunity for us to make it easy for our citizens to access the world and, on the other hand, to make it very fast, easy, and affordable for citizens from different countries to come to Armenia,” he said.

Papoyan also noted that the amount of money spent must be significantly increased in order to attract many tourists who pay well in the Republic of Armenia. “Unfortunately, we do not spend much money; unfortunately, we spend very little money. This amount needs to be significantly increased so that we can have many tourists and these tourists pay a lot of money in the Republic of Armenia,” he stated.

Regarding the government subsidizing certain airlines, Papoyan said, “Yes, we pay to attract many tourists to Armenia so that many citizens benefit from shops, restaurants, and hotels in Armenia. This is why a record absolute number of tourists has been recorded in Armenia in May, June, July, and August. This means that there has never been a May, June, July, or August in Armenia when so many tourists have arrived. We will continue this policy, and yes, many tourists must come to Armenia, and Armenian citizens should also find it much easier, affordable, and faster to see the world than before. This is our policy; we have achieved significant results, but there are even greater and more ambitious goals ahead.”