The Armenian government has approved new regulations and requirements for tourism industry entities aimed at safeguarding tourists' rights and improving the quality of services in the sector.
At a government meeting on January 23, Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan presented the new operational standards for tourism companies. He explained that the need for regulation arose from an increase in fraudulent practices within the tourism sector, ranging from failure to fulfill transportation obligations to the disappearance of tour companies with clients' money.
The new regulations require mandatory notification for initiating tourism activities and clearly define the roles of tour operators and travel agents. The minister emphasized that the previous lack of legal oversight and control mechanisms led to frequent violations of tourists' rights, where advertised services did not match the actual offerings.
The adopted standards, developed based on international best practices and analysis of negative cases in the local market, are intended not only to enhance the quality of tourism services but also to ensure fair competition among all market participants. These measures will be part of new tourism legislation designed to streamline the industry's operations.
Previously, BMG reported that over 2.2 million tourists visited Armenia in 2024, marking a 5.1% decline—or 120,000 fewer visitors—compared to 2023, according to the country's Tourism Committee.
In December 2024, the majority of tourists were Russian citizens, accounting for 43.1% of all visitors. Georgian tourists ranked second (13%), followed by visitors from Iran (8.4%).
