YEREVAN, MARCH 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has started accepting tourists from Iran ahead of Nowruz (Iranian New Year). Although the number of Iranian tourists visiting Armenia is small conditioned by the coronavirus pandemic, there are already the first groups.

Founder of the Rest Tour agency Aram Bleyan told Armenpress that they already have groups with whom they are working.

“There are people who are interested in, but their number is very small, it cannot be compared with the ones of the past years. However, we already have guests. They are arriving in Armenia mainly with their families for celebrating Nowruz”, he said.

Most of the tourists who want to celebrate their holiday in Armenia mainly prefer spending their time in Yerevan. Aram Bleyan said they sometimes prefer to visit Garni, Geghard, as well as Tsaghkadzor for snowboarding. Compared to the previous years, this year they pay a short visit, stay in the host country mainly for 3-5 days. According to Bleyan, this is conditioned also by the fact that Iran is also facing a difficult period, which leaves its impact on the citizens and they spend their money reasonably.

“Before this we have carried out awareness raising activities and tried to make so that they will visit Armenia. We have visited Tehran, participated in exhibitions and advertized Armenia”, he said, adding that there is also change in the prices, the hotel prices have greatly decreased. The tour company has also lowered the cost of the services, the ticket prices have also changed.

President of the Armenian Tourism Federation Mekhak Apresyan noted that the cheap prices must leave their impact on bringing the Iranian tourists to Armenia. According to him, there is a need for aggressive marketing policy in the Iranian market, with the goal to present attractive tour packages to Armenia.

“In addition, we must also provide a very good welcome to the Iranian tourists. This is the start and is a chance. If we manage to successfully start it, we will be able to ensure visit of guests. We must also show that all coronavirus-related safety measures are ensured in our country. And this work is not for the Iranian market only, the world as well sees that people are arriving here. This could be a signal for the other markets as well”, Apresyan said.

According to him, both the government and the private sector must take actions for providing good welcome to the Iranian tourists. “It’s necessary to take actions so that the Iranian tourists will see that they are awaited and acceptable guests here. After a long pause this is a major chance, so we should act in a way that our guests will be satisfied from us, we should show them that it’s worth visiting Armenia”, he added.

Head of the Tourism Department at the Yerevan City Hall Gevorg Orbelyan told Armenpress that this year some flow of Iranian tourists to Armenia is expected on the sidelines of the Nowruz celebrations.

He added that in the period of March 20-25 the Iranian tourists will be daily provided with Persian and English maps in Yerevan by the City Hall’s tourism information support centers which will give them information about the city’s historical-cultural sites, museums, restaurants, stores, etc.

Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian New Year, is celebrated on March 21.

Reporting by Anna Gziryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan