ArmInfo.Over the past 2-3 years, a growing interest in Armenia's investment environment has been observed, as stated by Hovsep Patvakanyan, Chairman of the Investment Council of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in response to a question from an ArmInfo correspondent on the sidelines of the International Trade and Investment Forum (ITIF) on October 17.
He emphasized that the main areas of interest for investors are renewable energy, agriculture, and tourism. Notably there have been structural changes in the tourism industry, with a fivefold increase in tourists from from Asian countries such as China, Thailand, Vietnam, and India over the past three years. "At first glance, one might think this is due to labor migrants from India, but upon closer analysis, we see that this growth was driven by Chinese tourists," Patvakanyan clarified.
He added that according to EBRD research, this growth is primarily due to the visa-free regime for Chinese citizens, as well as the launch of direct flights and a strong interest in Armenia's rich cultural heritage. Patvakanyan pointed out that Chinese tourists visiting our country primarily purchase joint tour packages to visit Armenia and Georgia.
It's worth noting that, according to data from the Tourism Committee, 34,265 tourists from China visited Armenia from January to September, a 42% increase from the previous year. Overall, Chinese tourists account for only 2% of visitors.
Note that, according to the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia, the net flow of total foreign investment into the real sector of the Armenian economy decreased by 55.3% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, to a positive $125 million (48 billion AMD) from a positive $276.4 million (107.3 billion AMD). Additionally, the net flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) went from a negative $56.5 million (21.9 billion AMD) to a positive $13.1 million (5 billion AMD), increasing 2.2-fold year-on-year.
