Monday, September 23 2019 15:31

ArmInfo. Armenia can and should  be perceived as an eternal harbor for tourism. The Resident  Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in  Armenia Dmitry Maryasin said at a press conference on September 23 at  the UN office in Yerevan, presenting the holding of master classes at  the 7th PM4SD International Summer School in Leadership and  Governance for Sustainable Tourism, which is being held for the first  time in Armenia.

It should be noted that the event is being held within the framework  of the UNDP project "Development of Integrated Rural Tourism", funded  by the Russian Federation. The program will cover 60 rural  communities of Armenia. Russia has invested about $ 3 million in the  project.

''This is one of my favorite programs, not because we discover new  beautiful places, but because for Armenia the tourism sector is  actually an opportunity to "transform" the country's economy and  change the life of the villagers. The numbers speak for themselves,  in recent years we have seen an increase in tourist flow. Moreover,  there is a tendency of repeated visits by tourists who have already  visited Armenia. This means that Armenia is attractive in terms of  tourism. Armenia is truly one of the few countries that unites  nature, culture and friendly people around it,'' Maryasin said in his  speech, noting that the EAEU also has great potential for tourism  development in Armenia.

According to the Resident Representative of the UN Development  Program, the development of integrated rural tourism opens up both  opportunities and creates a number of threats to the republic. ''From  an economic point of view, it is important for us to provide ongoing  income for the villagers, providing them with stable economic income.  However, this cannot be achieved at the expense of the environment'',  he said. He expressed hope that Armenia will not have to repeat the  mistakes made by other small countries of the world, which for the  sake of tourism have practically destroyed the whole ecosystem and  cultural traditions of the hostel.

In this regard, he noted that the program includes the development of  smart areas for creating new jobs among the villagers in the future  through training at an international school.  ''In rural areas, there  is unlimited potential for tourism. This program opens up  opportunities for creating profit where there is a particular lack of  funds. Young people in villages usually either help their parents by  working in the fields or migrate from the country. Thanks to the  program, now they have a real opportunity become service providers,  thereby making a significant contribution to the development of their  native village'', Maryasin said.

According to him, from now outsourcing and competition should not be  the only occupation in the country:  ''Armenia can and should be  perceived as an eternal harbor for tourism. This is the meaning of  conducting master classes in Armenia, as these trainings combine the  knowledge of European and world tourism experts''. Maryasin expressed  his conviction that Armenia will soon be able to register explosive  growth in the tourism sector.