Tourism sector records impressive result: Pashinyan releases details

The number of tourists who visited Armenia has recorded an impressive growth in the first half of 2019, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a press conference in Vanadzor’s Technological Center.

Introducing 100 facts about new Armenia, the PM said the number of German tourists increased by 59.5%, the Chinese tourists – 53.5%, Dutch tourists – 34.9%, Swiss tourists – 30%, UAE – 29.7%, Greece – 29%, Italy – 24.4%, UK – 22.9%, Japan – 22.2%, Russia – 19%, Sweden – 19%, US – 15%, France – 13%.

“Overall, we have a 12.8% increase in tourism in the first half of 2019. According to the calculations of the Central Bank, this year, including also August, tourists in Armenia spent over 200 million USD compared to last year”, the PM said.

The increase in the number of tourists settled in hotels comprised 60% in January-June 2019. “Based on this we can state that there is a certain qualitative increase in tourism field which in its turn leads to additional foreign currency inflows. The taxes paid by economic entities engaged in providing shelters increased by 38%, nearly 1 billion drams, compared to the same period of last year”, the PM said, adding that the taxes paid by tourism companies increased by 53% or 400 million drams.

Pashinyan stated that these are not just statistical data, but an economic indicator, expressed with concrete drams and amounts.