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HIGH AIR TICKET PRICES IMPEDE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN ARMENIA :U.S. AMBASSADOR
YEREVAN, April 19./ARKA/. Air price tickets are high in Armenia,
and small number of direct flights hinders tourism development and
flow to the republic even more.
This is a stance of John Heffern, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, on
tourism issues and drawbacks in Armenia.
Three large European air carriers -British Airways, LOT- Polish
Airlines and Air Baltic, stopped flying to Armenia's capital in 2012.
During his briefing on Friday within the international conference in
Yerevan, Heffern said high prices, no competition in aviation impede
tourism development in Armenia. If a tourist, according to him, who
has several stops in his flight to Armenia, has to wait for 15 hours
in an airport, he will just refuse from an idea of coming here.
U.S. Ambassador noted the U.S. government is ready to support the
Armenian authorities in efforts to liberalize the air frontiers as
the USA and USAID attach great importance to tourism advancement
in Armenia, as well as opening new jobs in the regions, introducing
tourists with the rich historical and cultural heritage of Armenia.
The U.S. interests are not to bringing the American air carriers to
Armenia, but to see Armenia's economy succeeding, he added.
On his side, Deputy Economy Minister of Armenia Ara Petrosyan
highlighted that the prices should be considered not separately but
in a full package.
"For instance, hotel prices are 10-15 lower in Armenia, compared with
the prices of the same-class hotels in Georgia. That's why, we should
remember that a tourist spends his money not only on the flights,"
he said.
As it was earlier stated by Yeghishe Tanashyan, deputy head of Armenian
Union of Tourist Guides, the main reason why the air companies stopped
flying to Armenia is Zvartnots Airport's high tariffs and congestion
of airspace.
According to him, the cost of flights from Eastern Europe to Armenia
has increased by 20-25% over the recent years.
Earlier Armenia's General Directorate of Civil Aviation noted the
government is currently holding talks with air companies over reducing
ticket prices.
A two-day international conference, "Harmonization and Issues in
European Travel and Tourism Law: Lessons for Armenia" kicked off in
Yerevan on April 19.
The conference is organized by the USAID-funded Enterprise Development
and Market Competitiveness (EDMC) Project, the Armenian Ministry of
Economy, the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia (NCFA),
and the International Forum of Travel and Tourism Advocates (IFTTA).The
conference has brought 28 leading tourism lawyers from across the world
to the Armenian capital, including experts from Austria, Belgium,
Brazil, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Malta, Russia, Switzerland, the UK and the USA. It is also attended
by President of IFTTA Michael Wukoschitz.
The conference participants will focus on tourism development,
planning, competition, consumer protection, harmonization of laws,
rights of passengers, and alternative solutions to disputes. -0-
YEREVAN, April 19./ARKA/. Air price tickets are high in Armenia,
and small number of direct flights hinders tourism development and
flow to the republic even more.
This is a stance of John Heffern, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, on
tourism issues and drawbacks in Armenia.
Three large European air carriers -British Airways, LOT- Polish
Airlines and Air Baltic, stopped flying to Armenia's capital in 2012.
During his briefing on Friday within the international conference in
Yerevan, Heffern said high prices, no competition in aviation impede
tourism development in Armenia. If a tourist, according to him, who
has several stops in his flight to Armenia, has to wait for 15 hours
in an airport, he will just refuse from an idea of coming here.
U.S. Ambassador noted the U.S. government is ready to support the
Armenian authorities in efforts to liberalize the air frontiers as
the USA and USAID attach great importance to tourism advancement
in Armenia, as well as opening new jobs in the regions, introducing
tourists with the rich historical and cultural heritage of Armenia.
The U.S. interests are not to bringing the American air carriers to
Armenia, but to see Armenia's economy succeeding, he added.
On his side, Deputy Economy Minister of Armenia Ara Petrosyan
highlighted that the prices should be considered not separately but
in a full package.
"For instance, hotel prices are 10-15 lower in Armenia, compared with
the prices of the same-class hotels in Georgia. That's why, we should
remember that a tourist spends his money not only on the flights,"
he said.
As it was earlier stated by Yeghishe Tanashyan, deputy head of Armenian
Union of Tourist Guides, the main reason why the air companies stopped
flying to Armenia is Zvartnots Airport's high tariffs and congestion
of airspace.
According to him, the cost of flights from Eastern Europe to Armenia
has increased by 20-25% over the recent years.
Earlier Armenia's General Directorate of Civil Aviation noted the
government is currently holding talks with air companies over reducing
ticket prices.
A two-day international conference, "Harmonization and Issues in
European Travel and Tourism Law: Lessons for Armenia" kicked off in
Yerevan on April 19.
The conference is organized by the USAID-funded Enterprise Development
and Market Competitiveness (EDMC) Project, the Armenian Ministry of
Economy, the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia (NCFA),
and the International Forum of Travel and Tourism Advocates (IFTTA).The
conference has brought 28 leading tourism lawyers from across the world
to the Armenian capital, including experts from Austria, Belgium,
Brazil, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Malta, Russia, Switzerland, the UK and the USA. It is also attended
by President of IFTTA Michael Wukoschitz.
The conference participants will focus on tourism development,
planning, competition, consumer protection, harmonization of laws,
rights of passengers, and alternative solutions to disputes. -0-