Boosting cooperation around the world, Armenia offers tailor-made travel experiences for tourists
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Armenia is boosting cooperation with various countries to enhance its tourism market. Tourism Committee President Lusine Gevorgyan told Armenpress that they are intensifying collaboration with Russia, Georgia, Iran, China, and the Gulf countries, contributing to increased inbound tourism.
Increased interest has been observed from Western European countries, particularly following the establishment of Wizz Air’s base in Armenia.
“Traditionally, the three most active directions from which tourists come to Armenia are Russia, Georgia, and Iran. We have already begun new cooperation with Russia and are planning new digital-platform campaigns aimed at attracting more tourists from major cities.
We are also seeing increased activity with Georgia: not only are ethnic Armenians holding Georgian passports visiting Armenia more frequently, but interest from Georgians themselves is also growing. We are actively working in this direction with our partners,” Gevorgyan said.
Regarding Iran, Gevorgyan noted that special attention is paid to Iranian holiday seasons, and together with hotels and restaurants, the committee is developing tailor-made offers for Iranian tourists.
“There is also significant activity from the Chinese market — we have recorded around 38 percent growth, even though there is only one direct flight, to Urumqi. But even with that single direct flight, substantial growth has been achieved. Chinese tourists often come for regional tours as well, which is another developing segment,” Gevorgyan said.
She said that the visa liberalization carried out in June with the six Gulf countries — the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman — has also yielded positive results.
“We have direct flights with several Arab countries, and next year we will work even more actively in this direction, expecting a new flow of tourists. Tourists from the Gulf countries mainly prefer high-end and luxury tourism: they stay in premium hotels, spend more, and choose travel experiences tailored to their preferences. Therefore, next year it will be necessary to develop new tourism products to attract visitors from the Gulf countries to Armenia,” Gevorgyan said.
She also noted increased activity from Western Europe, highlighting that this has been supported by the establishment of Wizz Air’s base in Armenia.
“In addition, for the first time we have a direct flight from Gyumri to Cyprus, which is a good opportunity to stimulate visits from several European cities. Jazeera Airways has also entered the Armenian market, opening a new route to and from Kuwait, which has become another interesting opportunity,” she said.
The chairman of Armenia’s Tourism Committee stressed that Armenia is capable of offering tourism products appealing to visitors with a wide range of interests.