Areni Wine Festival set to welcome thousands of visitors on October 3

Areni will once again welcome wine lovers on October 3, when the Areni Wine Festival will be held for the 19th time, featuring 25 wine-producing companies and 160 home winemakers presenting a wide selection of wines.

Speaking at a press conference, EventToura co-founder Nune Manukyan said the festival is highly anticipated, with a large number of visitors expected from different regions of Armenia and abroad.

“Last time, we had around 30,000 visitors at the Areni Wine Festival, and this year we expect the same number, if not more. We have confirmed arrivals of groups from Russia, Georgia, Italy, and Germany. We have planned a very rich program. Visitors will not only be able to learn about and taste a wide variety of wines, but also purchase produce and other goods offered by local residents, and taste interesting dishes and sweets. There will also be a concert program and competitions to provide pleasant entertainment,” Nune Manukyan said.

In addition to the main events, separate small events will be held in different neighborhoods of the Areni community. Gastro yards will be particularly active, and lavash and gata baking demonstrations will be held in various locations, with visitors able to take part.

According to Mekhak Apresyan, President of the Armenian Federation of Tourism, the Areni Wine Festival is a cornerstone of the development of event tourism in Armenia and has made a major contribution to the development of winemaking traditions and the promotion of the country’s heritage.

“Many years ago, we used to say that Armenia should stand out with its distinctive tourism offerings, and that an international tourist should think: is it worth going to another country, for example, to attend a beer festival, or going to Armenia to attend a wine festival? Today, the Areni Festival is such an established tourism product that people come from many countries around the world specifically to participate in this festival,” Mekhak Apresyan said. He noted that promoting Armenia through such events contributes to a large influx of tourists, which in turn has significant economic importance.

“In this context, it is very important that the economic benefits are generated directly in the regions, in border communities. After all, such a large number of visitors within the framework of one festival contributes to the development of infrastructure and the hotel sector, and makes our settlements more recognizable,” Mekhak Apresyan said.

The Tourism Committee of the Ministry of Economy of Armenia supports the organization of the Areni Wine Festival. Tourism Committee spokesperson Anahit Baghdasaryan said that this year the agency has supported 12 festivals, 10 of which have already been successfully held, while two more are expected to take place soon.

“The Areni Wine Festival is one of the anticipated events. The Tourism Committee regularly organizes familiarization visits with the participation of journalists and bloggers, and I can say that the feedback shows that many people are eager to be in Armenia specifically during these days to participate in the wine festival. The gastro sector is one of the target areas selected by the Tourism Committee, and we attach importance to holding such events, which in this case contribute to promoting our wine traditions and communities,” Anahit Baghdasaryan said.

The festival will begin at 12:00 on October 3, with the official opening scheduled for 13:00.