Armenia possesses significant potential for winter tourism development and, with proper investments, could become an attractive destination for tourists from Arab countries. Lusine Gevorgyan, Chair of the Tourism Committee, emphasized a particular interest in attracting visitors from the UAE, Qatar, and Oman.
As reported by Armenpress, Gevorkyan noted that the absence of a winter season in Arab countries creates a unique opportunity to promote Armenia's winter tourism to Middle Eastern visitors. "With well-designed tourism packages, this offering could become highly sought-after," she stated.
According to Gevorkyan, the Ministry of Economy is already providing substantial support for the development of a winter resort area in Aparan and continues to assist major investors. Through the "Infrastructure for Investment" program, the government helps investors by providing electricity, water, gas, and constructing roads.
Particular attention, as Gevorkyan highlighted, is being given to the development of another winter resort, Tsaghkadzor, where plans include modernizing road infrastructure and improving hotel services. "Additionally, Shirak Province holds great potential for winter tourism. Its northern location and cold climate offer the longest skiing season in the country," she explained.
The Tourism Committee acknowledges that developing winter tourism requires significant investments but considers it a promising avenue for attracting visitors, especially winter sports enthusiasts.
Earlier BMG reported that Armenia welcomed 2,079,381 foreign tourists in the first 11 months of 2024, compared to 2,195,288 visitors during the same period in 2023. This marks a decline of 121,907 visitors or 5.5%. The majority of tourists traditionally came from Russia, Georgia, and Iran.
