What is Tourism ?

          Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes". Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2011, there were over 983 million international tourist arrivals worldwide, representing a growth of 4.6% when compared to 940 million in 2010. International tourism receipts grew to US$1.03 trillion (€740 billion) in 2011, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 3.8% from 2010. In 2011, international travel demand continued to recover from the losses resulting from the late-2000s recession, where tourism suffered a strong slowdown from the second half of 2008 through the end of 2009. After a 5% increase in the first half of 2008, growth in international tourist arrivals moved into negative territory in the second half of 2008, and ended up only 2% for the year, compared to a 7% increase in 2007.The negative trend intensified during 2009, exacerbated in some countries due to the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus, resulting in a worldwide decline of 4.2% in 2009 to 880 million international tourists arrivals, and a 5.7% decline in international tourism receipts. Tourism is important, and in some cases, vital for many countries. It was recognized in the Manila Declaration on World Tourism of 1980as "an activity essential to the life of nations because of its direct effects on the social, cultural, educational and economic sectors of national societies and on their international relations." Tourism brings in large amounts of income in payment for goods and servicesavailable, accounting for 30% of the world's exports of services, and 6% of overall exports of goods and services. It also creates opportunities for employment in the service sector of the economy, associated with tourism. These service industries includetransportation services, such as airlines, cruise ships and taxicabs; hospitality services, such as accommodations, including hotels andresorts; and entertainment venues, such as amusement parks, casinos, shopping malls, music venues and theatres.

Tourism in Armenia

          Armenia is unique and its heritage sites became the landmarks that make this tourist destination rather popular among tourists coming here from all over the globe.

          Some of the places received international recognition and got international heritage status. Visit such sites as Haghpat and Sanahin where you will see history in every stone of its architecture. The walls of these monasteries saw the events of the bygone days and though they are not able to speak they create certain spirit that is felt by tourists coming there. Such profound insight into the history of the country will help you to learn more about Armenia and understand the contemporary country better.

          People come here to see hot springs of Arzni and Jermuk, to get treatment at water resorts of Lake Sevan, to walk in the forests of Aghveran, Dilijan, Tsaghkadzor, Gugark and Bjurakan. If you go to the southeastern part of the country you will be able to enjoy the beauty of cliffs and to visit the caves that were naturally formed there. This country has much to offer therefore this is a great tourist destination. Do not doubt that you will be able to get excellent vacation as you travel around Armenia.

          As you go to Armenia Yerevan is going to be the first city that you will visit. This is capital of the country located near the marvelous mountain Ararat. If you remember the Biblical history and Noah’s Ark chronicle then you should know that Ararat is the place where the arch landed after the Great Flood was over. Ararat is a symbol of Armenia though is it situated in Turkey. When you come to the place, you will need Yerevan map, which will guide you as you try to see this place in all its beauty.

          There are hoteles en Armenia for different types of clients. Every customer will find the one to meet his requirements, and even the most fastidious client will be satisfied with high level of service provided there. In some of them you will find luxurious rooms at a nice price. If you succeed to find such hotel Armenia will look more alluring for you.

          Tourism in Armenia has been a key sector to the Armenian economy since the 1990s as half a million people visit the country ever year, mostly ethnic Armenians from the Diaspora.

Although there is a shortage of resources, Armenia has been investing in new hotels to increase tourism. Outdoor activities and scenery seem to be the primary attractions. Lake Sevan, the world’s largest mountain lake, is a popular summer tourist spot. The Tsakhkadzor ski resort is open for skiing in the winter and hiking and picnicking the rest of the year. Mt. Ararat, the traditional site of the landing of Noah’s Ark, is located in Turkey. Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, also boasts opera, theaters and other cultural attractions. The casinos in Argavand are also popular with tourists.

Tourism has been growing gradually in Armenia since 2000. The Republic of Armenia Ministry of Economy declared that 575,281 tourists visited Armenia in 2009, 3% more than the estimated index for 2008, and 5% growth was predicted for 2010 as the world economy stabilizes. In 2011, Armenia is expecting to receive 800,00 tourist, which is 13% better than last year. Armenia attracts people with its sense of adventure and history. Many new hotels including a Hilton, InterContinental,and Kempinski are set to be built in the capital city, Yerevan as well.

Armenia - Traditions

Ascension Day (Hambartsum)

Observed on: May 21
          Ascension Day is the holiday of love and enjoyment, which is celebrated outdoors in the blossom of May, 40 days after Easter. In ancient times on this day the young ladies were allowed to walk freely in the fields, sing songs, and make acquaintances, which often became crucial in their lives. According to people’s imagination this is the night of miracle. At midnight exactly nature finds the gift of speech, the water is still for a second; the sky and the earth embrace; the stars kiss one another. Space stops its wheel and the one who witnesses these magic moments will have his or her dreams fulfilled.

Christmas (Surb Tsnund)

Observed on: January 6
         Christmas – the Birthday of Christ is celebrated by people all over the world. The Armenians celebrate this day as a major Christian religious holiday, together with the Epiphany (baptism) and attend church services in their neighborhoods. Part of the ritual is the “Blessing of Water, when water is blessed with the holy chrism symbolic of Christ’s baptism. The most beautiful and meaningful parts of the holiday occur at home and in church. Many families go to church on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Then they sit down to enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner. According to tradition, the main dish is fish and rice prepared with butter. Wine is served with dinner.

Constitution Day 

Observed on: July 5
          The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia was adopted through a national referendum on July 5, 1995. Constitution Day is an official holiday in Armenia.

Day of Remembrance of Victims of the 1988 Earthquake

Observed on: December 7
          A devastating earthquake in 1988 killed thousands of people and destroyed most of the Republic’s infrastructure. The earthquake was felt as far away as the Armenian capital, but it was the second and third most populous cities of Leninakan (now Gyumri) and Kirovakan (now Vanadzor) that were among the most devastated.

Day of the First Republic

Observed on: May 28
          On this day in 1918, the Armenian people restored what was left of historic Armenia to statehood after half a millennium of lost sovereignty. The celebration of this day marks the beginning of the modern Armenian quest for independence. Short lived, the 1918 Republic was swallowed by the USSR for seventy more years, but inspired a spirit of hope and self determination for future generations. This is an official national holiday.

Easter (Zatik)

Observed on: April 4
          Easter (Zatik) is the favourite and the most anticipated holiday in the Christian world. Everybody greets each other on this day: “Christ has arisen"-“Blessed is the resurrection of Christ". During the Lenten fasting season of 40 days before Easter, Armenian families put lentils or other sprouting grains on a tray covered with a thin layer of cotton, and keep it in a light place of the house until Easter when sprouts appear. These green sprouts, symbolizing spring and awakening of nature, are the “grass" on which people place colored eggs to decorate the Easter table. To the present day, Armenians have preserved the beautiful biblical lore which refers to red eggs and cheorek (sweet bread): “When Christ was crucified, his mother took some eggs and bread wrapped in the shawl. When the Mother saw her Son crucified and his arms bleeding, she knelt down and cried. The Mother’s tears and Son’s blood dropping on the shawl colored the eggs and bread. Then the Mother put the shawl on her head. Since that day people began coloring eggs red on Easter day and women began wearing shawls when visiting church.

Genocide Victims Memorial Day

Observed on: April 24
          Every year on April 24, Armenians all over the world solemnly honor the memory of over a million victims of the 1915 genocide. In Armenia thousands of people join the annual procession on foot to Tsitsernakaberd to pay their respect to those who perished in this massive attempt to exterminate the Armenian people and forcibly remove them from their ancestral lands. This is an official national holiday.

Grape Blessing Day

Observed on: August 12
          This holiday is celebrated on the nearest Sunday of August 15. Catholicos of Armenian Church blesses the grape harvest.

Holiday of St. Mary

Observed on: August 16
          A day devoted to the Mother of God is celebrated on a Sunday falling between the 12th and the 18th of August. The traditional ceremony of this holiday is the annual blessing of the grapes in the church, which coincides with the beginning of the harvest.

Holy Cross (Khachverats)

Observed on: September 13
          The Armenian Church celebrates this holiday on the Sunday nearest September 14, which is devoted to the Holy Cross (Surb Khach). This holiday also serves as a memorial to those who have passed away.

Holy Translators Day (Targmanchats ton)

Observed on: October 13
          This holiday is dedicated to the creators of Armenian alphabet Mesrop Mashtots and Sahak Partev, Translators and Interpreters of the Bible.
The Armenian alphabet was invented in order to translate the Bible into Armenian and paved the way for the first Golden Age of Armenia. Over the centuries, Armenian writers, philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists, have taken inspiration from the Holy Translators’ legacy to achieve excellence in scholarship, creativity, and world acclaim in spite of long periods of devastation, attack, conquest and subjugation.

Independence Day

Observed on: September 21
          Independence Day is an official holiday in Armenia. The restoration of the Republic of Armenia in 1991, after 70 years of sovietization, followed a national referendum on secession from Soviet Union.

New Year (Amanor)

Observed on: January 1
          New Year is celebrated a whole week starting with December 31, by baking New Year cookies and tables laden with food and different kinds of sweets. During this week, people exchange gifts and congratulatory wishes, and their homes are open to welcome everyone. Visiting begins on January 1 and lasts through Christmas-January 6.  Armenian children believe that Dzmer Papik (Santa Claus) brings gifts on New Year’s Eve. Several days or weeks before the holiday, children write letters to Dzmer Papik telling him what toys they wish.

Palm Sunday (Tsaghkazard)

Observed on: April 5
          Palm Sunday (Tsaghkazard) is celebrated one week before Easter and marks Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem as the messiah. The customs observed on this holiday begin with boys and girls dressed in their best clothes. The engaged men of each village uproot a young willow tree and decorate the branches with colored pieces of cloth, fruit and candles.

Purification (Trndez)

Observed on: February 14
          According to religious custom this holiday is connected with the idea of coming forward to the Lord with fire, after 40 days of his birth. The Armenian Church celebrates it on February 14th - 40 days after January 6th, from which it derives the religious name: coming forward to the Lord. The main ceremony of it is a bonfire, symbolizing the coming of spring.

Saint Sargis

Observed on: February 7
          St. Sargis is a beloved religious observance and is very popular among young people. It is celebrated 63 days before Easter, on a Saturday falling sometime between January 18 and February 23. On the night of the holiday young people eat salty pies and don’t drink water to encourage dreaming at night. They believe that St. Sargis decides their fate, that the person who gives them water to drink in their dreams will become their future spouse. People also put a plate with flour outside their homes to have a record of St. Sargis’s horse riding through the flour. They believe St. Sargis appears with lightening speed on his radiant horse, and that the traces left on the flour serve as a good omen to bring them luck. In people’s imagination St. Sargis is handsome and appears with a spear, a gold helmet and gold armor.

The Transfiguration (Vardavar (The feast of water))

Observed on: July 19
          In the traditional Armenian range of holidays, the Transfiguration is the major summer holiday and is celebrated 14 weeks after Easter. In pre-Christian Armenia this holiday was associated with the pagan goddess Anahit, to whose heathen temple the young and the old went on pilgrimage. The word Vardavar has two meanings: “the flaming of the rose and “to sprinkle with water. According to legend, the goddess Astghik spread love through the Armenian land by sprinkling rosy water and presenting roses. The god Vahagn kept and protected that love, constantly fighting against evil. This feast was transformed after the adoption of Christianity. On Vardavar in modern times, everybody pours water on one another, starting in the early morning; no one is allowed to feel offended or displeased by mischief on that day.

Victory and Peace Day (World War II)

Observed on: May 9
          Victory Day (World War II) was a holiday throughout the USSR and is still an official holiday in Armenia. The victory of the World War II and the memorial for its dead is celebrated on different days in different countries. Armenia celebrates it on May 9.

Women’s Day

Observed on: March 8
          Women’s Day is popular among Armenians. Men give presents to women, and the streets are full of flowers. People usually celebrate it with friends and have a good time in cafes, restaurants or at home.

ARMENIAN CUISINE

          Armenian cuisine is as ancient as the history of Armenia, and a wonderful combination of different tastes and aromas. Closely related to eastern cuisine, various spices, vegetables, fish, and fruits combine to present a unique experience for any visitor to the country.Fruits such as peaches, apples, pears, cherries, mulberry, figs, pomegranates, strawberries and water melons are particularly succulent, but in particular, Armenia is famed for its apricots which many consider taste better than anywhere else in the world. As early as the 4th century BC Alexander the Great brought apricot trees from Armenia to Greece whence they found their way to Rome.

           A variety of natural juices and vodka are made from the many different types of fruits to be found in the country. One of the most famous vodka types is mulberry vodka, which is strongly recommended to people who suffer from stomach pains and digestion problems Many exotic delicacies are prepaid out of grape juice. One of them is Sharots (sujukh), made of savouring dark cherry-coloured syrup doshab with variety of spices and walnut threaded on a string.

          Armenians like to eat bread with almost everything, and the two traditional types of bread in Armenia are lavash and matnakash. Lavash is particular favourite flat bread rolled into circles and prepared in earthenware ovens in the ground (tonirs).

          Food in Armenia is one of the chief attractions. Each region has its own unique cuisine with its own special flavour. For gourmands the long list of delicious local dishes is provided: kololak, khaplama, tolma, basturma... Khashlama is boiled meat and potatoes, and kebab is spiced minced meat cooked over a fire or in a pan. Harisa however, is a very ancient and traditional meal closely linked to Easter. Consisting of wheat and chicken, many families in Armenia still continue the tradition of serving harisa on Easter Day. Spas is a popular soup that consists of egg and flour stirred into matsoun, a sour diary product similar to yogurt. No visit to Armenia is complete without tasting a real Armenian meal called Ghapama (Armenian Pumpkin Stew) with boiled rice, raisins, apples, sugar and ground cinnamon.

           A typical Armenian dinner may consist of a series of appetizers: salted and roasted almonds, marinated olives, spicy sausages, stuffed vine leaves, chickpea dip followed by a soup and there is a good array of them. Salads change seasonally and are always dressed with olive oil, salt, pepper vinegar and lemon juice. Dessert usually consists of fresh fruit, dried fruit compotes in winter, followed by dark, strong coffee.

          Armenia is known as the motherland of viticulture and winemaking. The legend tells that Noah planted the first vineyard in the plateau of Ararat. Burning sun, rich land and the hard work of the peasant have given Armenian wine its unique taste and odor. Ancient wine vessels, sometimes with condensed antic wine, are found in many historical places. Wine is the part of the national lifestyle, and traditional dishes are not complete without wine, drunk to beautiful and traditional toasts of Tamada (Toast maker).

          This region is famous for its red wine, especially "Areni". This wine is made of the relict vineyards the history of which goes to 1000BC. They are really unique, and tasting once you will test them again and again. Armenia's enterprises produce over a dozen brands of brandies which according to the unanimous opinion of expert tasters are in no way inferior to the world-famous French ones. Many of their labels show the gold medals awarded at international exhibitions.

          For those who love to discover culinary adventures, Armenia is just the right place! The offered meals and drinks are available in the best restaurants and cafes at each exotic destination. Continental breakfast, lunch and dinner, which are usually a combination of traditional European and local national dishes will be also available. One will have a considerable option of traditional restaurants, bars and cafes in Yerevan.