LIVE: Tourism Development Trends in the South Caucasus (video)
The Institute for War and Peace Reporting in cooperation with the Public Journalism Club and the Media Center is hosting a discussion, entitled “Tourism Development Trends in the South Caucasus”. The discussion will take place at 12:00, on January 31, at the Media Center, 30 Saryan Street (2nd floor), Yerevan. The debate featuring Armenian and Georgian experts aims to discuss the progress made and the potential of the tourism sector in both countries. The event is organized against the backdrop of last year’s statistics on the growth of tourism in Armenia and Georgia. In 2016, Georgia registered the biggest percentage increase in visitor numbers, and Armenia entered the top three of the countries with largest numbers of tourists to Georgia. The inflow of tourists from Armenia to Georgia increased in winter season as well. Thus, only the number of visitors from Armenia amounted to 165,000 in December, which is 15,000 more than in the same period of 2015. As for Armenia, experts predicted 5% tourism growth in 2016. Armenian and Georgian specialists will discuss at the January 31 discussion to what extent these expectations have been fulfilled and what to expect from the tourism sector in 2017. The event aims to increase public awareness on the issue through local media coverage. The speakers of the discussion event are:
- Tornike Zirakishvili, Head of International Relations Department of the Georgian National Tourism Administration (via video call)
- Karine Davoyan, Director of the Union of Armenia’s Inbound Tour Operators
- A representative of the Tourism State Committee at the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments of Armenia (requires confirmation)
