In the first half of this year, 1,170,727 tourists arrived in Armenia, which is 13,038 fewer than the same period in 2024. Tourist visits were recorded from Russia, Georgia, and Iran.

"There is no such official opinion, but it may have decreased due to prices. It is possible that Armenia is not considered a competitive country in the region due to high prices, as well as marketing steps have become passive in target markets," said Seda Aghbalyan, President of the United Tourism Federation, in an interview with Radar Armenia, adding that the cost of living in Armenia is considered high compared to neighboring Georgia.

Tourists come mainly from Russia, Georgia, and Iran, while the flow from European and Asian countries is small. S. Aghbalyan emphasized that the main reason is direct flights. "There are no direct flights with Asian and European countries, only charter flights. But if there are regular flights, the flow will increase. However, regular flights also occur when there is demand." According to him, the presence of regular flights can significantly increase the flow, especially if it is combined with active marketing activities.

Tourists arriving in Armenia often face several problems. It becomes difficult for them to organize themselves, from the airport to online reservations. In addition, Armenia does not meet the demand for green tourism, which is rapidly developing in the world. "People travel within the framework of the concept of 'green tourism". Eco-tourism is an important idea. We do not have certification; most hotels and restaurants do not have them. Only 1-2 hotels have received them," he said, and emphasized that this is a serious problem, and tourism is not developing sustainably.

Lilit Abrahamyan