At HIF Yerevan 2026, Green Rock presented a comprehensive development model for Dilijan

Green Rock press release 

The international forum “Hospitality Investment Forum Yerevan 2026” brought together more than 1,000 leading representatives of the hospitality and tourism sectors, investors, and experts from over 28 countries in Yerevan.

At the official opening ceremony of the forum, Armenia’s Minister of Economy, Gevorg Papoyan, delivered a speech highlighting the importance of the event as a leading regional platform for stimulating investment in hospitality and tourism. He emphasized that the forum, year after year, contributes to the creation of new partnerships, the exchange of international experience, and the presentation of investment opportunities.

The Minister also presented Armenia’s tourism potential and recent positive trends in the sector, noting that approximately 825,000 tourists visited the country in the first five months of 2026.

Katerina Danekina, CEO of Green Rock, gave a keynote speech titled “Unlocking the Potential of Small Cities: Private Capital for Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Development.”

She described small cities as a promising new focus for hospitality investment, where private capital can support local growth while opening new opportunities for investors. Tourism, she added, remains a powerful economic driver — creating jobs, attracting investment, and strengthening regions’ links to the global economy.

According to Danekina, Armenia remains an emerging and relatively undiscovered market, which requires a realistic approach and increased international competitiveness in order to attract both tourists and foreign capital.

She stressed that the real foundation of sustainable development is formed only when two factors come together — tourism demand and investment capital — and that this combination ensures long-term and effective growth.

As a practical example, she presented the multifunctional development model implemented by Green Rock in Dilijan.

“Hotel infrastructure alone is not enough for the sustainable development of small cities. Alongside building a hotel, Green Rock is developing cultural and social infrastructure — a music hall, an art park, the Villa3 community hub, PPLS Rooms co-living, and the Cabinet café-restaurant. Projects like these help attract professionals, entrepreneurs, and digital nomads, while also creating social connections between tourists and residents of Dilijan,” Danekina said, adding that PPLS Rooms and the Villa3 community hub had opened just a few days earlier.

The CEO of Green Rock also highlighted the importance of education in the hospitality sector, noting the launch of Apicius Armenia, developed in partnership with the Apicius International School of Hospitality in Florence. With the involvement of Italian experts teaching in Dilijan, the school aims to train professionals for the sector and support long-term human capital development.

Addressing the importance of community engagement, Danekina emphasized that sustainable tourism is impossible without the involvement of local residents. For this purpose, the Green Rock Foundation has been established, implementing cultural, educational, and community programs.

In the forum’s exhibition area, Green Rock and the Green Rock Foundation presented two initiatives: Meet Dilijan, focused on developing Dilijan as a destination, and Apicius Armenia, focused on hospitality education.