Deputy Minister: 2.5% growth of international visits registered in Armenia

ArmInfo. 2.5% growth of international visits has been registered in Armenia in the first half of 2016, while growth of domestic tourism totaled around 20.8%, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Investments Garegin Melkonyan informed today on the sidelines of the 38th session of UNWTO Affiliated Members.

According to the Deputy Minister the field of tourism develops stably in Armenia. During the recent 5 years growth of international tourism to Armenia has totaled in average 9% annually. At year-end 2015 around 1.2 mln tourists visited Armenia. 

Domestic tourism also develops dynamically, within recent five years 14.5% average growth has been registered. Introduction of social packages significantly contributed to growth in this sector of tourism industry, the Deputy Minister noted.

In parallel to upward dynamics in tourism infrastructures should be developed, Melkonyan noted. The Deputy Minister informed that within five years more than 20 hotels and around 100 other facilities of the field have been built, in overall 10.000 beds. At the same time the Deputy Minister expressed hope that the field development will continue more intensively, stressing that the issue of infrastructure development should remain in focus.

To note, 38th Session of the Affiliate Members of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)  is being held in Yerevan from 1 to 4 October. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. It is the leading international organization in the field of tourism, which promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

According to the Tourism Development of the Armenian Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, in H1 2016 over 501 thsd travelers visited Armenia (2.4% more than in H1 2015). As compared to the previous year, the outgoing tourism indicator has grown. In H1 2016, as many as 470 thsd residents of Armenia  went abroad (1.2% more than in H1 2015).