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First tourism information center opens in Yerevan

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The Yerevan municipality launched the city’s first tourism information center in Nalbandyan Street center on Monday to offer assistance and other necessary services to foreign visitors.
Mayor Taron Maragaryan and the senior staff of the City Hall attended the solemn event to enjoy the dance music and songs typical to the capital city, as well as the special reception.

The center operates close to the Republic Square metro station.

Highlighting the importance of the initiative, an aide to the Yerevan mayor, Maria Baraghamyan, said they came up with the idea in the context of the capital city’s 2,800th jubilee celebrations expected  this autumn.“This project aims to offer assistance to our fellow citizens and guests by providing them with useful guidelines, as well as information about the tourism infrastructures and the municipality’s services.

We are planning the second [center’s] opening in the near future,” she added.
Free bilingual maps of Yerevan and information leaflets will be available at the center to inform tourists also of the planned cultural and entertainment events.

Partners companies have joined the initiative with enthusiasm. Lilit Hovhannisyan, the editor-in-chief of Armenia Tourism, finds the project very actual and necessary.“I am sure this kind of concept will allow tourists to more easily orient themselves and organize the leisure time in Yerevan much better. Our magazine will certainly assist in the program, and our latest editions will be always available in information centers,” she added.

Foreigners appreciate advantages of medical tourism in Armenia: MIR 24

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Low prices for medical services attract more and more foreigners to Armenia as every tenth tourist comes to the country to improve their health, MIR 24 TV channel said in a story about medical tourism in Armenia.

The quality of medical care meets international standards, the channel said.

The report centers around Arusyak Gedekyan, who came to Armenia for the first time to see the country of her ancestors and go to the dentist for a bite correction.

“About 40% of our patients are foreigners, most of them from Georgia, Russia and China,” orthodontist Haykush Aleksanyan said.

The glory of Armenian plastic surgeons is also transmitted through word of mouth, the story said.

“One satisfied patient for recommends friends or relatives. An important role is played by social networks – a beautiful face is the best advertisement. Tourists mainly travel to Armenia in spring and summer. Many clinics have even begun to organize special tours which include airline tickets, accommodation and medical services. Now they are planning to add excursions around the country too,” the story concludes.

Related links:

MIR 24. Иностранцы оценили преимущества медицинского туризма в Армении

Armenia Wine will invest 270 million drams in new vineyards and wine tourism

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The Armenian Prime Minister visited the Armenia Vine company in the community, the government’s press service reported. He said the company sold its products to 14 countries – Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Baltic States, France, Belgium, Czech Republic, USA, Canada, Mexico, Israel, China and Japan.

The company’s leaders told the Prime Minister that this year they will expand the geography of exports, also involving Sweden, Germany, Poland and Kazakhstan.

In 2017, the company recorded a significant increase in exports. In particular, exports in January-May are expected to increase by 33% over the previous year. As a result, the company intends to increase the purchase of grapes in autumn.

This year, the company will make serious investments in two important areas. In April, it installed exemplary vineyards on the territory adjacent to the winery, with modern vineyard systems to complete its vineyards in the province of Armavir. The company has invested 140 million drams ($ 289,200) in this project and 120 million drams (approximately $ 268,600) as part of a viticultural tourism development project.

The production capacity of the company will be 4 million bottles of wine, 1 million bottles of champagne and 3 million bottles of brandy. The plant employs 200 people.

Sunday, September 3, 2017,
Stéphane © armenews.com

Tourism report signals wider issues for women in Turkey

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A South Korean tourist takes a selfie as she visits the Ottoman-era Sultan Ahmet Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, in Istanbul, Turkey, June 10, 2016. (photo by REUTERS/Murad Sezer)

By Pinar Tremblay,

In an article that could deliver a further blow to Turkey’s ailing tourism sector and international image, Forbes magazine on July 28 described Turkey as one of the 10 most dangerous places for solo female travelers.

The article, which ranked Turkey ninth, was based on the travel website Trip.com’s country evaluations in March, adding in information from US State Department warnings. The Trip.com website, while generally rating Turkey poorly, also features remarkably positive reviews of the country and of Istanbul — reportedly now Europe’s cheapest city to stay in — by several female and male travelers.

The Forbes’ piece hit a nerve with Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) government. Pro-AKP media outlets pronounced the article to be presumptuous and untrustworthy. The daily Hurriyet said the story had provoked a wide reaction in Turkey, without clarifying the exact nature of this response or explaining what critics found objectionable in the ranking.

The hospitality industry has taken a series of serious hits in the last two years, including terror attacks and the failed coup attempt of July 2016. According to Tourism and Culture Ministry statistics, Turkey received nearly 36 million foreign visitors in 2014, with the number going down about 200,000 the following year. In 2016, the number of foreign visitors sank to nearly 25.3 million. The numbers appear to be dropping even more this year; in the first half of 2016, slightly over 11 million visitors were reported to have visited Turkey.

On Aug. 1, the ministry issued a press release about the Forbes article, saying it involved misperceptions that have “targeted Turkey for some time.” The ministry accused the article of being based on speculation rather than fact and charged that it deliberately sought to portray Turkey as a dangerous destination for women to influence the way the international community sees the country. Yet the statement, presented by the pro-AKP media as “a severe response by the ministry to Forbes,” did not provide data to counter Forbes’ arguments or to assure the international community that Turkey is a safe and hospitable destination for solo female travelers. The ministry’s statement did not even mention traveling solo. In this case, what was not said is the crux of the matter.

The owner of one of the most prominent tourism firms in Turkey, who spoke with Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, said, “I believe what bothered the government about the Forbes’ report is the issue of security. They have totally disregarded that the matter was about solo female travelers. Indeed, I am not even sure if they ever wonder what kind of services they could provide for solo female travelers or gay or transgender tourists so that they would feel safe and welcome in Turkey. Istanbul used to host one of the biggest Gay Pride marches in Europe for years. For the last few years, what gets in the international press is news of police brutality in those marches. Conference tourism is almost dead. This is significant because about half of the participants in conferences were solo female travelers.”

The Forbes ranking comes after a decade of AKP policies that have been pushing women out of public spaces. Most of the party’s base would say that a good woman’s place is in the house — unless the woman happens to be working for the AKP or other religious causes. The party’s moves to push women out of public view and Islamicize the image and rhetoric of the public arena have left their marks.

For over a decade, government officials in Turkey have been telling women to get married as soon as possible, not to seek divorce, to have as many kids as they can, not to wear makeup or even laugh in public. Indeed, we have heard advice for pregnant women to avoid walking out of the house and for women to seek a means of transportation that is only for females. In the last year, random attacks on women in parks, buses or other public spaces have become commonplace. The pressure has become so heavy that the hashtag #Kiyafetimekarisma (Don’t mess with my outfit) was a trending topic on social media for days and there have been several protests in major cities demanding freedom to dress as one wishes. Sexual and physical attacks as well as murder of women are on the rise in Turkey and the perpetuators often get off lightly.

Al-Monitor spoke with several seasoned female travelers who have been to Turkey multiple times as well as young women who visited Turkey once. Although none of them visited Turkey as “solo travelers,” all of them, at one point or other, had to walk alone at some point during their visit. When asked about safety concerns, none of them felt any danger in Turkey, but admitted that they had been “worried” or “concerned” at times. Some said that the reason for their initial worry was the rape and murder of Pippa Bacca, an Italian artist, in 2008, and the murder of Sarai Sierra, an American in Istanbul.

In both incidents, locals questioned why these women had traveled alone, as traveling solo for women is not the norm in Turkey.

Women travelers, except the ones who lived in Turkey for some time, told Al-Monitor that one of their biggest impressions about Turkey was that Turkish women refrained from talking to them. For the women travelers, that signaled a wider issue about Turkey and Turks: This is a male-dominated society, from taxi drivers to shopkeepers. It was mostly men who would do the talking. In rural areas, local women would rarely engage foreigners.

This, in turn, raises concern that the number of women in Turkish public spaces — city centers, bazaars, bars — is gradually diminishing. Therefore, women who dare to be present and active in public face higher risks.

New technologies have also made the uglier side of life more visible. For example, there was an incident where a young woman was beaten up on a bus while other passengers just looked on without interfering. Several drivers and their assistants on intercity buses were caught on cameras masturbating over and even ejaculating on sleeping female passengers.

The above and other similar news indicate that traveling or just being in public in Turkey for women has become much more difficult with or without a headscarf. Dressing modestly would help minimize visibility but it will not guarantee safety on the street. One Omani college student from the United States who was visiting Istanbul told Al-Monitor, “We were at an upscale halal restaurant [not serving alcohol] with my family and I went upstairs to go to the bathroom; a middle-aged man coming out of men’s bathroom groped me, but I could not say anything as I did not want my dad to get into a fight. The man was a customer dining with his family, with daughters about my age.”

Jenny White, a professor at Stockholm University’s Institute for Turkish Studies, is a keen observer of Turkish culture and politics who has researched, lived in and written about Turkey. Asked about changing risk factors for female travelers, White told Al-Monitor, “You may no longer be able to rely on ordinary citizens to step in and help you.”

She added that in Turkish society, there was “savage hatred” between different groups of people and an inability to rely on other people for help, as well as a sense of impunity that if you do something to someone else, you won’t be held accountable.

Robyn Eckhardt, a food and travel journalist and cookbook author who has traveled in Turkey extensively to do research for her book, highlighted the hospitality in rural areas, particularly in the southeast. She said, “I think there is a changing risk factor for any foreign traveler in Turkey caused by pronouncements from various members of the governing party about ‘foreign plots’ to destabilize Turkey and ‘foreign spies’ traveling around the country. Some people are likely to take such ‘warnings’ seriously, and if they do, this will not have good implications for visitors.”

Despite the social turmoil and difficulties faced by local and foreign women, Turkey remains an intriguing travel destination with a vibrant young culture. It is not fair to list Turkey as one of the 10 most dangerous places to travel for women. It is crucial, however, to raise a red flag that rising xenophobia and misogyny are leading to the isolation of the country in all aspects. What can the solo female travelers do then? Stay sober, appear strong and in control at all times and be vigilant even at halal restaurants.

Pinar Tremblay is a columnist for Al-Monitor’s Turkey Pulse and a visiting scholar of political science at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She is a columnist for Turkish news outlet T24. Her articles have appeared in Time, New

Armenia’s capital named second cheapest tourism destination for Russians

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Armenia’s capital named second cheapest tourismYerevan is the second cheapest travel destination for Russian tourists, according to a recently released index by British Standards.
The costs for an average Russian wishing to spend a summer holiday in Armenia’s capital were estimated at 22,800 Rubles (US $401).

The Belarusian capital, Minsk, tops the ranking. A trip to the city would cost an estimated 22.800 Rubles ($326), the study found.
Prague was named the third cheapest city where Russians would have to spend no more than 22.900 Rubles ($403) for a summer rest.
The list covers seven cities.
Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi is the next cheapest destination after Prague. The estimated costs for a Russian traveller here was found to be within the range of 23,500 Rubles ($414). Budapest, Hungary (RUR 23,800 or $419) and Rome, Italy (RUR 25,700 or $457) rank respectively as the fifth and sixth cities.
London concludes the index. A holiday package offering a stay in a three-star hotel in the Britisj capital would cost a Russian tourist 38.500 Rubles ($678) (as opposed to the other cities where the summer rest was found to be cheaper in case of four-star hotels).

Barely 10% of Armenians in the Diaspora reportedly went to Armenia .

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Barely 10% of Armenians in the Diaspora reportedly went to ArmeniaOnly 10% of Armenians in the Diaspora went to Armenia! That seems little. But this is the statement made by Zarminé Zeytountsian, the head of the tourism section of the Armenian Ministry of Economic Development and Investment. Affirmation at a conference-seminar on the theme “Armenia on the world’s tourist map”. According to Z. Zaytountsian, the Armenians of the Diaspora see Armenia as a political and not a tourist space. “Many Armenians in the Diaspora discover Armenia with astonishment when they learn that there are magnificent landscapes here,” says Z. Zeytountsian. With 10% of Armenians from the Diaspora who visited Armenia at least once, there remains a very important tourist potential of the remaining 90% …

Krikor Amirzayan (Ամիրզ յեանան)

Armenia ranks 34th on Travel & Tourism Competitiveness 2017 report

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Armenia is the 34th country on the World Economic Forum’s latest ranking entitled The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017.

Finland is placed as the top country in the seventh edition of the docuemnt reflecting the sustainable growth index in world countries.
“The goal of achieving a sustainable and inclusive travel & tourism industry is not new, and the industry has been proactive in its commitment to set targets. Yet, in light of the rise of sustainability on the global agenda through summits in Addis Ababa, New York and Paris, the industry must continue to strive to be a leader in addressing inclusiveness and sustainability both responsively and responsibly. Solutions will need to be both global and local, while ensuring full societal inclusion,” say the authors of the report.

The United Arab Emirates and Iceland are the next countries in the top three list. Columbia, which follows Yemen, Salvador and Pakistan, is named the safest country.
Armenia’s northern neighbor, Georgia, ranks the 29th. Azerbaijan is in the 35th place, following Armenia. Iran, Armenia’s neighbor in the south, ranks as the 87th country on this year’s index. Russia and Turkey place 109th and 116th, respectively.
The full ranking can be accessed here

Zarmine Zeytuntsyan named Chairperson of State Tourism Committee of Armenia

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Upon the decision of Armenia’s Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan Zarmine Zeytuntsyan has been appointed as Chairperson of State Tourism Committee of Armenia’s Ministry of Economic Development and Investments.

To note, on 17 October 2016 she was appointed as acting chairperson of the committee under the PM’s decision.

Zarmine Zeytuntsyan is the daughter of playwright, essayist and translator Perch Zeytuntsyan.

 

Source Panorama.am

PM: Armenia can offer high-level tourism services to international market

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pm-tourismYEREVAN. – Armenian PM Karen Karapetyan on Monday received the delegation led by Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Taleb Rifai.

The PM noted that Armenia has a potential for the development of tourism, stressing that the country can offer diverse touristic results and high-level services to the international tourism market.

“We attach great importance to the development of inbound tourism and must take relevant measures to raise the touristic attractiveness so that Armenia and its rich historic and cultural heritage can become more known to the world. We are open to cooperation and ready to take measures to ensure sustainable development of the sphere,” the PM said, adding that the state policy behind the tourism field is to increase the tourism input in the national income growth and proportional territorial development.

Noting that the field of tourism is one of the priority directions of the Government, Karen Karapetyan added that the executive has initiated structural changes, as a result of which a separate committee dealing with tourism development will be set up.

According to the PM, the committee should cooperate with international organizations in the area of tourism. In this issue Karapetyan said he also expects the support of the UNWTO.

For his part, Taleb Rifai expressed readiness to support the Armenian Government both in that issue and in providing training and consultation services to the specialists of the sphere. Apart from this, he underscored the importance of close cooperation between the state-private sector and deepening of regional cooperation in giving a new impetus to the area.

Armenia may only be a small country, but it has a big heart – Jason White

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armenia-touristIn an interview with Tert.am, Mr Jason White, an international sales manager and business consultant, voiced an opinion that tourism can absolutely increase the country’s economic wealth by the generation of jobs and money that is bought into the country from tourists who are buying products and services.

You are in Armenia more than a year. How was Armenia as a country for you as a foreigner when you came here at first and how it is for you now? (Now you can talk about the country as a person who lives here).

Well I think you know that I have lived outside of Armenia now for over 1 year. I think and feel it has moved forward a little, but these small steps can have a positive effect.  But that is what has happened these past few years, no real exponential growth really.  I think most foreigners come to love the place they love the sense and feel of Yerevan, its café culture, the weather, the friendliness and sense of family as you walk around the city. It has a European cultural feel I believe.  So many people (foreigners) that I have spoken have such a warmth and love for the place it takes hold of you…That really is something Armenians should try to convey and market more in their promotional activity with regard to Tourism.

You are a Business Consultant and you previously looked at Armenia as a place for potential business activity. And I noticed that you mentioned touristic opportunities of our country.  What do you think what is the problem that Armenia is not very popular in the world? Whom we should “blame” for it?

If you read my article in the Moscow Expat Times I talk about two factors really – historical under achievement in the Tourist infrastructure from the pre USSR times, and an additional lack of for sight and investment in then building an Armenian brand (showcasing the country) for Tourists, and finally the lack of current investment in Tourism by the Government and administrations since. I really cannot stress the importance of the Government investing funds into marketing and advertising the country.  Tourism can absolutely increase the country’s economic wealth by the generation of jobs and money that is bought into the country from tourists who are buying products and services. It’s not rocket science really. But sadly for Armenian governments past and present it appears to be!

What is the most important advantages of Armenia (I mean in regard to the touristic sphere) and how we can present it to world? (In your articles you have written what we should do practically. I would like to introduce them to our readers).

What most people come to understand about Travelling is that it can be absolutely uplifting, it engenders personality, cultivates awareness and understanding, makes you appreciate geography and natural beauty and gives you a quality of life through these things. Therefore International tourists will want to come and visit your country.  Armenia may only be a small country, but it has a big heart. Foreigners sense that when they come. Besides you have everything here to entice people to come. A deep religious history, churches and monasteries from antipathy, wonderful wineries.   Mountains and interesting geography allied with four seasons that manifest beautiful and natural colours. You have an endearing and magnificent lake Sevan that can act as a pull for those who wish to feel the natural healing power of waters.  Wellness centres such as Jermuk with clean alpine air. Skiing in Tsaghzadzor.  But more than anything you have a country where prices are so much cheaper than mainstream Europe . in this age of financial crisis in so many countries people have to be careful with their budget so this point should not be underestimated too.

You have a web-site about Armenia for tourists. You are presenting the sights of Armenia, advertising them. Armenians every time complain that Armenia is not very good place for intern tourism because of the high prizes of hotels, service and so on. What do you think about it? And what do foreigners who read your web-site and want to come to Armenia think about it?

Well that is a good question. I would answer by saying this.  Most foreigners would not say Armenia was an expensive country on the whole whilst they are here, indeed as I mentioned earlier the prices are much cheaper than other more well known locations. However I also understand that for Armenians themselves wanting to holiday within the country it may well be rather expensive due to low average wages ( lower than China for some years now).  I think this is where there is opportunity for Armenians to see an opportunity and open homes or small businesses to the potential of cheap guest houses and bed and breakfasts especially in the areas of Sevan and Diligen, Jermuk etc.

What are the real practice and let’s say “stupid” problems that we have in tourism? How we can resolve them?

Well other than a couple of Linkedin and twitter pages set up. I have not seen any momentum to really advertise the country by tourist sites.  I do not see any Facebook groups promoting Armenia or any advertising ( I mentioned the governments lack of advertising and support) specifically promoting holidays, in addition  I don’t see any real Armenian tourist businesses thinking outside the box and promoting in emerging and potential more profitable markets such as the UK and Northern Europe. More focus and attention needs to be given in this area as well as here in Russia. This is a massive market potentially especially after the terrorist problems of last year, for travelling Russians, and them now choosing to travel within Russia and the CIS.  Additionally more work needs to begun to introduce low cost airlines to Svartnots airport. Increased carriers and numbers of flights from Europe is absolutely essential.  Etihad began flying directly from Abu Dhabi but then stopped after a year, more things need to be done to overcome barriers and challenges. But this is something the government should be doing proactively with foreign carriers.

You mentioned that Russia is a good partner for Armenia. Now you are in Russia. Do you speak with them about Armenia-Russia business relations? Would they like to cooperate with Armenians? If yes, where they want to “put” their money?

It many ways it’s not that easy to give you a straight answer to this question.  That is because the business culture I have found both here in Russia and the CIS generally is highly complex. Historical business mistrust still exists in certain areas.  Relationships are fostered through historical ties, be it business and or family, traditional business development and networking is still something that is not as well developed to the point of any real focus sadly.  In addition I have also come across examples of when I am introducing business potential from Armenia as to “Why is a British Business man promoting Armenia ? “.  The loss of substantial sums of money after the devalution of the Ruble has not helped from the Armenian side either. Therefore the simple answer is there is more hard work to be done here.  There are  Russian business people looking to invest in opportunities but more work is needed ie more liaison and regular  investment workshops by Armenian stakeholders / joint venture protagonists  to educate and inform the opportunity currently in Armenia.

Any other comments….

More lobbying of the Government for greater support and funding from them. More advertising means potential increased numbers of tourists, which equates to more jobs and an even distribution of the income to the business community. Better use of social platforms to advertise and market the country. PR agencies, content and more interactive websites need to be initiated.  You have a wonderful Human resource in Armenia, highly intellectual and IT focused. This still needs to be utilized more effectively and with a value added emphasis…Good luck.

Thank you!

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