YEREVAN, JULY 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenian travel agencies call the facilitation of visa procedures for the citizens of Egypt a very important step.

Anriva Tour, which is the official representative of Air Cairo in Armenia, is operating regular flights from Armenia to Egypt for already five years. The tour agency hopes that the visa facilitation will ensure a great tourist flow to Armenia. Director of Anriva Tour Lilit Muradyan told Armenpress that this step of the government will positively affect Armenia’s economy.

“We take quite a large number of Armenian tourists to Egypt, it would be much better if Egyptians visit our country and have a chance to discover it. Previously, the procedure of obtaining visa was quite complex, but now in fact the citizens of Egypt can apply for a visa online or visit a diplomatic mission of Armenia. Moreover, the citizens of Egypt, who have a visa of EU countries, the USA and a number of other countries, can obtain the Armenian visa at the Zvartnots airport. As you see, the process is quite simplified. These new regulations come into force from July 11, we should wait for its launch in order to understand how long it takes to give an answer, and then we will organize our work”, she said.

She said that they have received many inquiries from Egyptian citizens for spending their vacation in Armenia, especially during the New Year. As the previous procedures of obtaining visa were difficult, it was taking a long time, and they could not understand how to regulate the process.

“Now it’s a very good chance for many Egyptian tourists to visit Armenia. We spread information about country, about the tours in Egypt via the Armenian community and our partner companies. We have sent packages in average prices. We are already working, but now we will do it more intensively because the biggest problem with visas is already solved”, she said, adding that they also consider increasing the number of flights.

President of the Armenian Tourism Federation Mekhak Apresyan also called this visa facilitation for Egyptian citizens an important step. He said the proposal on this direction was made years ago.

“Egypt is a very big market, it’s a country with a population of over 100 million. Let’s not forget that there are 10 million Copts. We have a lot to do to attract the attention of Egyptian tourists to Armenia. I want to inform that we have an initiative within the frames of which we are planning to organize mutual cognitive visits of tour operators. The Egyptian tour operators will visit Armenia, we will present them our tourism opportunities. The member companies of the Federation will be hosted in Egypt. The tourism opportunities of Egypt will be presented. This mutual activeness will greatly affect our country’s economy. Those who will organize flights to Egypt will not work unilaterally, they will not take tourists from Armenia only, but will bring tourists from Egypt. As a result, the airlines will start operating actively and the flights will become more frequent”, Mekhak Apresyan said.

Armenia is facilitating visa procedures for citizens of Egypt

Interview by Anna Gziryan