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ARMENIA: VACATIONING ANYPLACE BUT AT HOME
by Marianna Grigoryan
EurasiaNet.org
http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65834
Aug 28 2012
NY
Complaining about high prices and limited choices at home, Armenians
this summer are opting to holiday abroad. The Armenian government,
boasting that tourism is one of the economy's fastest developing
sectors, apparently sees little reason to encourage them to reconsider.
By law, Armenians who work five days a week are entitled to 20 days
of paid vacation per year, a block of time that, as elsewhere in
the Caucasus, is taken primarily in August. Disposable income for
these holidays, however, is relatively modest. Armenia posted a per
capita income of just $5,500 in 2011, the lowest rate in the region,
according to the US Central Intelligence Agency.
But the prices for a vacation within Armenia do not reflect that
limited income. At an August 8 press conference, Union of Domestic
Tour Operators of Armenia Director Armine Adamian put the cost for
a seven-day tour of Armenia at 1,500 euros, about $1,885. Other
countries can be visited for half that sum, she argued.
"You see, if people can spend the same sum or even less for a vacation
in European countries -- Spain, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria -- or, for
instance, Sri Lanka or Turkey, let alone the cheap offers in Georgia,
why should they want to stay in Armenia?" elaborated Marine Ayvazian,
a tour manager for one Yerevan travel agency.
With such consumers in mind, TV and radio stations and billboards
in Yerevan advertise mostly seaside vacations abroad. Northeastern
Armenia's vast Lake Sevan may be somewhat of an alternative option,
but faces stiff competition.
A fortnight stay in a single room (with breakfast) at a mid-level Sevan
hotel runs between $1,260 and $1,400. By comparison, a similar-length
stay at a mid-level beachside hotel in Italy or Spain can be arranged
for approximately $1,500 - $2,000, and with a richer range of dining
and entertainment options, Yerevan travel agencies claim.
The Armenian government professes little or no official concern that
many Armenians are opting for such vacations abroad, although it has
tried to encourage state employees to holiday at home by covering
part of the costs for stays at Armenian resorts.
Hotels at Sevan or other holiday destinations are "fully booked,"
officials maintain, and claim that the economy's tourism sector is
expanding by a phenomenal 25 percent per year.
"Except for a couple of hotels," prices for a vacation in Armenia are
"moderate," asserted Deputy Economy Minister Ara Petrosian.
But those "moderate" prices seem overpriced to some.
"I lack the financial resources to have my vacation in Armenia. I
don't even think about it," commented 50-year-old pharmacist Anahit
Alexanian, who instead holidays in Georgia, Armenia's northern
neighbor.
Thousands of other Armenians appear to be doing the same. The Georgian
government claims that the number of Armenian tourists increased
by 22 percent this year (to over 408,000) compared with 2011,
Newsgeorgia.ru reported.
Most make a beeline for Georgia's Black Sea region of Achara. While
prices in the central city of Batumi climb far higher, small seaside
towns in Achara feature modest hotels with three meals a day and a
four-person room for $50. Renting a room in a private house comes
still cheaper.
With such prices, "very few [Armenians] will prefer expensive Sevan
with its cold water and burning sun," commented 35-year-old IT
specialist Narine Babujian.
Yerevan travel agencies name both Georgia and Turkey as the most
popular destinations for vacationing Armenians.
In an apparent attempt to deflect such travel decisions as summer
approaches, more sensational print media often run stories about
unknown skin diseases and infections allegedly plaguing Georgia's
Black Sea coast or about the rape of tourists in Turkey.
Rather than resorting to such tactics, Armenians would be better
advised to make their own tourism sector more competitive, critics
charge.
"We have almost no services here, and guests are discontented,"
claimed the Union of Domestic Tour Operators of Armenia's Adamian. A
2011 report from the World Economic Forum ranked Armenia as 90th
among 139 countries - between Cape Verde and Botswana -- for the
competitiveness of its tourism sector.
Mekhak Apresian, head of the Ministry of Economy's tourism department,
concedes that Armenia has some infrastructure shortcomings, but
asserts that the country still could become a hot spot for foreign
tourists. "We have all the prerequisites for it, and the dynamics of
our development demonstrate it," Apresian said.
Not exactly, according to the United Nations' World Tourism
Organization. Armenia supposedly trailed Georgia, the Caucasus' top
travel destination, by nearly 2 million visitors in 2011 - 758,000
compared with an alleged 2.8 million for Georgia. Azerbaijan fell
into second place with 1.5 million tourists.
Those tourists who do visit Armenia tend to be mostly Diaspora
Armenians, who come for visiting family or rediscovering their roots,
travel agency representatives say. Iranians, eager for a vacation
free of the social restraints that exist in the Islamic Republic,
appear to be the one group of foreign tourists visiting Armenia in
increasing numbers.
Deputy Economy Minister Petrosian, though, prefers to emphasize the
increase. The number of tourists in 2011 represented a 10.3-percent
increase since 2010, he claimed.
Nonetheless, the questions about why Armenians are not following
foreign tourists' supposed example remain. "The Armenian government
must seriously consider all this," said IT specialist Babujian.
Editor's note: Marianna Grigoryan is a freelance reporter in Yerevan
and the editor of MediaLab.am.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
by Marianna Grigoryan
EurasiaNet.org
http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65834
Aug 28 2012
NY
Complaining about high prices and limited choices at home, Armenians
this summer are opting to holiday abroad. The Armenian government,
boasting that tourism is one of the economy's fastest developing
sectors, apparently sees little reason to encourage them to reconsider.
By law, Armenians who work five days a week are entitled to 20 days
of paid vacation per year, a block of time that, as elsewhere in
the Caucasus, is taken primarily in August. Disposable income for
these holidays, however, is relatively modest. Armenia posted a per
capita income of just $5,500 in 2011, the lowest rate in the region,
according to the US Central Intelligence Agency.
But the prices for a vacation within Armenia do not reflect that
limited income. At an August 8 press conference, Union of Domestic
Tour Operators of Armenia Director Armine Adamian put the cost for
a seven-day tour of Armenia at 1,500 euros, about $1,885. Other
countries can be visited for half that sum, she argued.
"You see, if people can spend the same sum or even less for a vacation
in European countries -- Spain, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria -- or, for
instance, Sri Lanka or Turkey, let alone the cheap offers in Georgia,
why should they want to stay in Armenia?" elaborated Marine Ayvazian,
a tour manager for one Yerevan travel agency.
With such consumers in mind, TV and radio stations and billboards
in Yerevan advertise mostly seaside vacations abroad. Northeastern
Armenia's vast Lake Sevan may be somewhat of an alternative option,
but faces stiff competition.
A fortnight stay in a single room (with breakfast) at a mid-level Sevan
hotel runs between $1,260 and $1,400. By comparison, a similar-length
stay at a mid-level beachside hotel in Italy or Spain can be arranged
for approximately $1,500 - $2,000, and with a richer range of dining
and entertainment options, Yerevan travel agencies claim.
The Armenian government professes little or no official concern that
many Armenians are opting for such vacations abroad, although it has
tried to encourage state employees to holiday at home by covering
part of the costs for stays at Armenian resorts.
Hotels at Sevan or other holiday destinations are "fully booked,"
officials maintain, and claim that the economy's tourism sector is
expanding by a phenomenal 25 percent per year.
"Except for a couple of hotels," prices for a vacation in Armenia are
"moderate," asserted Deputy Economy Minister Ara Petrosian.
But those "moderate" prices seem overpriced to some.
"I lack the financial resources to have my vacation in Armenia. I
don't even think about it," commented 50-year-old pharmacist Anahit
Alexanian, who instead holidays in Georgia, Armenia's northern
neighbor.
Thousands of other Armenians appear to be doing the same. The Georgian
government claims that the number of Armenian tourists increased
by 22 percent this year (to over 408,000) compared with 2011,
Newsgeorgia.ru reported.
Most make a beeline for Georgia's Black Sea region of Achara. While
prices in the central city of Batumi climb far higher, small seaside
towns in Achara feature modest hotels with three meals a day and a
four-person room for $50. Renting a room in a private house comes
still cheaper.
With such prices, "very few [Armenians] will prefer expensive Sevan
with its cold water and burning sun," commented 35-year-old IT
specialist Narine Babujian.
Yerevan travel agencies name both Georgia and Turkey as the most
popular destinations for vacationing Armenians.
In an apparent attempt to deflect such travel decisions as summer
approaches, more sensational print media often run stories about
unknown skin diseases and infections allegedly plaguing Georgia's
Black Sea coast or about the rape of tourists in Turkey.
Rather than resorting to such tactics, Armenians would be better
advised to make their own tourism sector more competitive, critics
charge.
"We have almost no services here, and guests are discontented,"
claimed the Union of Domestic Tour Operators of Armenia's Adamian. A
2011 report from the World Economic Forum ranked Armenia as 90th
among 139 countries - between Cape Verde and Botswana -- for the
competitiveness of its tourism sector.
Mekhak Apresian, head of the Ministry of Economy's tourism department,
concedes that Armenia has some infrastructure shortcomings, but
asserts that the country still could become a hot spot for foreign
tourists. "We have all the prerequisites for it, and the dynamics of
our development demonstrate it," Apresian said.
Not exactly, according to the United Nations' World Tourism
Organization. Armenia supposedly trailed Georgia, the Caucasus' top
travel destination, by nearly 2 million visitors in 2011 - 758,000
compared with an alleged 2.8 million for Georgia. Azerbaijan fell
into second place with 1.5 million tourists.
Those tourists who do visit Armenia tend to be mostly Diaspora
Armenians, who come for visiting family or rediscovering their roots,
travel agency representatives say. Iranians, eager for a vacation
free of the social restraints that exist in the Islamic Republic,
appear to be the one group of foreign tourists visiting Armenia in
increasing numbers.
Deputy Economy Minister Petrosian, though, prefers to emphasize the
increase. The number of tourists in 2011 represented a 10.3-percent
increase since 2010, he claimed.
Nonetheless, the questions about why Armenians are not following
foreign tourists' supposed example remain. "The Armenian government
must seriously consider all this," said IT specialist Babujian.
Editor's note: Marianna Grigoryan is a freelance reporter in Yerevan
and the editor of MediaLab.am.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress