Growth rates fixed in Armenia’s tourism industry over the past years prove that the country is popular among foreign visitors, according to head of the department of tourism and territorial economic development at Armenian Economy Ministry Mekhak Apresyan.
“Tourism is one of the priorities field for Armenia, and even during crisis, the growth was registered here,” Apresyan told a news conference in Yerevan, adding that the yearly growth totals some 20-25%. Besides, the development rate in Armenia is higher than in the neighbor countries.
Apresyan reminded that as of the results of the first quarter of 2011, 22% growth was recorded, that is, 113 thousand people. The results of the half year will be published at the end of this year.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia said that according to preliminary forecasts, 3 million tourists are expected to visit the country by the yearend, whereas by 2015 this figure is to increase to 5 million.
Business Georgia reports that, according to preliminary calculations, this year the number of tourists will rise by supposedly 43% as against last year.
As of the results of January -May 2011, 879 065 tourists visited Georgia, of them 192 468 are citizens of Armenia.
