ArmInfo. Armenia cannot fully substitute Russians' vacation destinations in Turkey and Egypt. However, on the current phase we try to intensify our efforts aimed at attracting Russian tourists to our country, Head of Tourism Development Policy Department of Ministry of Economy of Armenia Mekhak Apresyan told ArmInfo's correspondent.
As the Head of the Department mentioned, still before the sanction wars Armenia had worked with the representatives of Russian tourism sector: Russian tour operators systematically paid introductory
visits to Armenia. In recent years Russia has been holding leading positions in tourists flow to Armenia, with more than 40% share in Armenia's tourism industry, as traditionally Russian tourists feel comfortably on the territory of Armenia, there are no language barriers and the country is well known by its hospitality and cuisine, he noted. As Apresyan states, the share of Russian tourism in total number of tourists visiting Armenia rose to 45-46% in 2013 versus 34-35% in 2006-2007. Besides, if in 2006-2007 the number of tourists between 18 and 35 years old was 6% from the total number of visitors, according to the survey of 2013 their number increased by 34%. Related to the tourism products, Armenia offers the tourists cultural- historic tours, agro tourism, adventurous tourism, health tourism and other types of tourism. "A lot of tourists arrive in our country in order to participate in our traditional festivals and
holidays", the representative of Ministry stated.
Apresyan informed that Armenia's Ministry of Economy holds consultations with various institutions and representatives of private sector, in order to ensure uninterrupted operation of public catering, trade and entertainment facilities, as well as museums during the period of Christmas holidays.
Representative of the Ministry of Economy does not agree with the statement that the price and the quality of the provided services in the field of tourism are not commensurable in Armenia. According to
the recent surveys conduced by Russian tour operators, Armenia is on the third place by price affordability, yielding only to Belarus and China. A family of 4 people can spend its vacation in Armenia, spending no more than 2500 Rub for one day of staying, Apresyan said. "I agree with the statement that in the period of New Year holidays a lot of people prefer to spend vacations in Armenia rather than aboard due to which there is seasonal price increase. But this does not mean that the price and quality in Armenia are not commensurable and as a result the field is not competitive. According to our surveys, a family of 4 people can spend New Year vacation in Armenia spending 1000 USD in average weekly, excluding the air transportation price", the official explained.
According to Apresian this year international tourism from Russia declined in all directions, in the percentage correlation it declined in Armenia less then in all other directions. According to
sociological surveys, 99% of the tourists leaving Armenia answered positively to a question whether they would like to return to Armenia and whether they would recommend their relatives and friends to spend
their vacation in Armenia. As a result we have 50% of revisits to our country", Apresyan noted. "Every time answering to the question "Why to choose Armenia? I say: "Do you want to learn why Bible Noah chose
Armenian Ararat as a place for his Ark? Come and learn!" Head of Tourism Development Policy Department of Ministry of Economy of Armenia summarized.
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