Destination 'unsafe': Armenia’s tourism sector suffers from geopolitical turmoils
In the past couple of years, Armenia has registered an unprecedented increase in tourist arrivals. Armenia’s mountainous terrain, ancient churches, pristine nature, and scenic towns attracted more than 2 million visitors in 2023 – a number previously unmatched.
While most tourists come from Russia, Georgia, Iran, and the USA, an increasing number of Europeans have also chosen Armenia as a travel destination – especially in recent years after the launch of numerous direct flights between the capital Yerevan and major European cities.
This year, however, an opposite trend is taking place. The months of May, June, and July saw a decrease in tourist numbers compared to those of 2023. As a whole, in the first half of 2023, more than a million tourists visited Armenia, while in the first half of this year tourist arrivals numbered around 950,000, which is 6.1% less than last year.
The decline in tourist arrivals can be attributed to various factors, but Mekhak Apresyan, head of the Armenian Tourism Federation, points to the country's unstable geopolitical situation as a key reason.
Several European countries, in their official travel advisories, discourage citizens from visiting Armenia, pointing out Yerevan’s unresolved conflict with Baku and the dangerous situation along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.
Although most of Armenia is considered generally safe for travel, the foreign ministries of countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and Switzerland caution their citizens against visiting the eastern parts of the country, where skirmishes and armed clashes may occur.
As Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks are in progress, with hopes for normalisation between the two South Caucasian countries, Armenian tourism experts are optimistic that more European governments will soon classify the country as a safe destination.