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WHAT HINDERS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN ARMENIA?
news.am
Nov 28 2011
Armenia
YEREVAN. - Even though Armenia is a popular tourist destination,
its tour packages are still more expensive than those for the other
regional tourism centers, Noyan Tour tourism agency's assistant
manager Sophie Sargsyan stated during a press conference on Monday.
As per the businesswoman, the ski season is beginning and numerous
tourists, and primarily from Russia, are arriving in Armenia for this
reason. But a one-week tour package for two costs US$ 1,000, in the
case when this is close to $600 in Georgia. The Turkish offers are
cheaper, too. According to Sargsyan, the hotel and food costs are
the main reason for this expensiveness.
In his turn, Rumea Company's President Ruben Grigoryan noted that the
mentality likewise hinders tourism development. "We like saying we
are a hospitable nation, but the number-one problem is education,"
he said. The other obstacle, as maintained by Grigoryan, is the
insufficient infrastructures. They prefer building 4-5-star expensive
hotels, in the case when the tourists prefer simple and affordable
hotel rooms. There is also a lack of restrooms on the roads, and
therefore, in Grigoryan's view, the state must demand from the gas
stations to install restrooms.
But according to Ruben Grigoryan, despite the obstacles, tourism is
becoming more active in Armenia. In the case when the tourism season
used to end in October, in the previous years, the hotels are still
full as of this November.
news.am
Nov 28 2011
Armenia
YEREVAN. - Even though Armenia is a popular tourist destination,
its tour packages are still more expensive than those for the other
regional tourism centers, Noyan Tour tourism agency's assistant
manager Sophie Sargsyan stated during a press conference on Monday.
As per the businesswoman, the ski season is beginning and numerous
tourists, and primarily from Russia, are arriving in Armenia for this
reason. But a one-week tour package for two costs US$ 1,000, in the
case when this is close to $600 in Georgia. The Turkish offers are
cheaper, too. According to Sargsyan, the hotel and food costs are
the main reason for this expensiveness.
In his turn, Rumea Company's President Ruben Grigoryan noted that the
mentality likewise hinders tourism development. "We like saying we
are a hospitable nation, but the number-one problem is education,"
he said. The other obstacle, as maintained by Grigoryan, is the
insufficient infrastructures. They prefer building 4-5-star expensive
hotels, in the case when the tourists prefer simple and affordable
hotel rooms. There is also a lack of restrooms on the roads, and
therefore, in Grigoryan's view, the state must demand from the gas
stations to install restrooms.
But according to Ruben Grigoryan, despite the obstacles, tourism is
becoming more active in Armenia. In the case when the tourism season
used to end in October, in the previous years, the hotels are still
full as of this November.