Thursday, August 15 2024 13:06

ArmInfo. A new free economic zone (FEZ) will appear in Armenia. The decision on this was made at the meeting of the RA government on August 15.

As noted in the rationale for the draft decision, the FEZ will be located on the territory of the village of Egyptatrush in the enlarged community of Aparan in the Aragatsotn region.

The organizer of the zone will be the Myler Mountain Resort company. The company's private initiative is aimed at promoting the diversity and development of tourism in Armenia, as well as the formation of a healthy lifestyle. The goal of the project is to build a high-level ski resort that will contribute to increasing the country's tourist attractiveness and sustainable socio-economic development. The organizer is going to make large-scale investments in the territory of the FEZ in the direction of forming the appropriate infrastructure, primarily a cable car and ski slopes, which will be the first and most important guarantee for the creation of a new tourism cluster.

The organizer's main capital investments will be made in the cable car, ski slopes, artificial snow system, skating rinks, hotels, restaurants, other entertainment centers (sleds, tubing, water rides, etc.), as well as in the construction of communications and infrastructure. In particular, the organizer and future operators will build more than 100 km of ski slopes at an altitude of 1950 to 2850 meters, hotels and entertainment complexes. Infrastructure for winter and summer recreation will be built on the territory of the FEZ. Within the framework of the FEZ, it is planned to carry out passenger transportation by cable cars, organize accommodation and meals for tourists, provide cars for rent, as well as sports equipment. In addition, the activities of travel agencies, tour operators will be streamlined, reservations and other services in the tourism sector will be improved. It is planned to hold exhibitions and events in the FEZ.

The FEZ will have a tourism and recreational focus, in particular, we are talking not only about the construction, reconstruction and operation of tourism business facilities, but also about health resort treatment, medical rehabilitation and recreational activities for citizens. For these purposes, measures will be taken to develop mineral waters and other natural healing resources of the region. It is planned that there will be three types of hotels in the SEZ: with 180 or more rooms, 120-130 rooms and 20-30 rooms. Within the framework of the project, the total investment of the organizer alone will be 30 billion drams.

According to the presented business plan, the number of jobs will be 1,500 at the first stage and 10,400 at the third stage.

The total area of the SEZ itself is about 2,080 hectares, part of which will belong to the company, and the rest will be leased. Currently, the company owns 504 hectares, of which 379 hectares are owned and 3.4 hectares are leased.