Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration discussed the implementation of the Ecotourism Committee’s 2023 action plan. It was reported that Susanna Hakobyan, responsible for carrying out the committee’s obligations, attended the meeting. The committee’s budget for 2023 is stated to be 7.5 billion drams, increasing to 13.2 billion drams in 2024 as part of the program to improve new facilities.

The report revealed that the total number of visits and financial indicators for the committee’s activities from January to December 2022 increased by 40% compared to the same period in 2019, reaching 2,316,666 visits.

Furthermore, the report highlighted that in the previous year, Armenia welcomed more tourists from Russia, Georgia, Iran, the United States, Germany, France, Ukraine, China, and Belarus.

Prime Minister Pashinyan noted the changes in the structure of the ecotourism industry based on this year’s statistical data. For instance, there has been a decrease in the number of tourists from Russia, while an increase has been observed from other countries.

Susanna Hakobyan mentioned that the number of female tourists from France, Germany, and the Arab Emirates has increased. She also stated, “The increase in the number of genuine ecotourists from Russia has become apparent after the implementation of certain filters. These interpretations exist”.

The Prime Minister expressed concern about whether these figures accurately reflect the situation in the field. He acknowledged that visits also reflect the state of tourism, highlighting the importance of accurate data.

According to the Ministry of Territorial Administration of Armenia’s “Development Program for International Visits” data, Armenia ranks 7th in terms of the highest increase in visits from January to September 2023 compared to the same period in 2021.

The committee representative presented information on the implementation and results of the program approved by decision No.1902-L of the Government of the Republic of Armenia on November 18, 2021. This program focuses on the “Government’s Program of Actions for 2021-2026,” including statistics improvements, military organization of ecotourism, and ongoing projects for facility enhancements.

During the period from January 2023 to January 2024, the third investigation of international visits occurred. Valuable information can be obtained from inquiries related to territorial administration, gender composition, tourism organization, different types of facilities, repeat visits, and more.

Prime Minister Pashinyan highlighted the importance of this investigation in providing significant information for urban management development and research.

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