Tourism was the most dynamically developing sector of Jermuk. Approximately 500-600 people work in the city's tourism business companies, hotels, and sanatoriums, which is about 70% of the city's population. After the Azerbaijani military aggression on September 13-14 of this year, due to targeting and damaging the infrastructures of Jermuk, tourism suffered a significant blow.

In a conversation with Radar Armenia, Jermuk council member Suzanna Avetisyan said that three hotels and a guest house were damaged due to Azerbaijan's attack and the cable car.

According to Avetisyan's presentation, at this moment, not everyone has gone to regular work. "Mainly, the great sanatorium-hotels work, where there are both Armenian and foreign tourists. Some hotels had reservations for this season, but people canceled them, which is why they currently have no business. However, if there are vacationers, they will work at any time," assured Avetisyan. According to her, as a result of the meeting-discussion with the directors of the hotels, it turns out that the number of guests is relatively tiny, although the hotels are always ready to host people.

However, Narek Mirzoyan, the founder of the Jermuk tourism development center and the "Visit Jermuk" tourist information platform, claims that all the hotels in Jermuk are working and have guests. "There are autumn discounts in hotels. Three large hotels have announced pre-New Year's sales. The companies running the hotel business in Jermuk have resumed their work and are receiving and serving the guests and tourists coming to the city as usual. "Companies implementing hotel business are conducting active marketing campaigns," Mirzoyan noted.

According to him, now that the city's infrastructure is returning to its ordinary working course after almost a month's break, the companies working in various fields should feel that they are not alone, that the state is by their side in a difficult time.

Hayk Magoyan