Travel And Tourism in Armenia

Euromonitor International's Travel And Tourism in Armenia report offers a comprehensive guide to the market at a national level. It looks at travel accommodation, transportation, car rental, tourist attractions and retail travel. It identifies the leading companies and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market, including background information on disposable income, annual leave and holiday taking habits.

Buy online to access strategic market analysis and an interactive statistical database of market size data for travel accommodation, transportation, car rental, travel retail, tourism attractions and health and wellness tourism, tourism inflows and outflows, tourism spending and company and brand shares.

Why buy this report

• Get insight into trends in market performance
• Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change
• Identify market and brand leaders and understand the competitive environment

Product coverage

Car rental; Demand factors; Health & wellness tourism; Tourism flows domestic; Tourism flows inbound; Tourism flows outbound; Tourism receipts and expenditure; Tourist attractions; Transportation; Travel accommodation; Travel retail

Executive summary

Armenian tourism: steady growth but low arrival numbers

Tourism is becoming an increasingly important contributor to the Armenian economy, with international tourism receipts growing strongly in 2007, and expected to continue to do so in 2008. In general, however, steady growth in arrivals of around 20% per year during the last few years has been offset by low absolute arrival numbers and arrivals in relation to population and territory size. As a result, the contribution of tourism to Armenia’s economy remains low, although it is becoming increasingly important.

Tourists’ likes and dislikes about Armenia

Some 52% of respondents in ongoing tourist surveys said they would want to revisit Armenia. The majority were happy about Armenian sites, restaurants, hotels and travel agencies. However, many tourists expressed dissatisfaction about regional roads, which are still in a bad state, thereby impeding the flow of tourists to many tourist sites. Armenia requiring tourists from the major top 10 source markets to have visas in order to enter the country also puts Armenia at a disadvantage compared to many other countries offering similar products and services. Although tourists from a number of selected countries can apply electronically for visas or obtain them relatively easily at international airports, visitors from other countries can face real hassles in arranging letters of invitation, in addition to a long waiting time. This impedes the growth of visitors from such countries.

Balance of payments positive due to higher receipts

Due to the growing affluence of some Armenians, outgoing tourism expenditure recorded strong growth in 2007. However, the balance of payments continued to remain positive due to higher incoming and domestic receipts from tourism. This pattern is projected to continue over the forecast period.

Development of ecotourism and village tourism

The Armenian Ecotourism Association started implementing a state programme for ecotourism in 2007. The programme envisages carrying out various activities for the development of ecotourism in the national parks of Sevan, Dilijan and Khosrov Forest, including developing infrastructure, preparing advertising, informative and promotional materials, training of personnel, managing the impact of tourism on the environment, cleaning picnic sites, developing hiking and horseriding routes, community involvement, and collaboration with the private sector.

Development of village tourism is also on the rise in Armenia. Since the infrastructure in the low-priced home-stays is not up to standard, and many home providers do not speak a foreign language, the home-stay option in villages is limited to local or diaspora Armenians. Alternatively, some B&Bs in small towns like Ijevan or Vardenis host tourists from their foreign sister cities. The idea is to introduce Armenian village life to tourists.

On-line payment option is on the way

NewAgeTrust Corporation (NATC) has developed a Plan and Play Visit (PPV) electronic system that will enable the Armenian tourism industry to join in global electronic commerce. The system will contain general information about Armenia, its culture, national holidays, cuisine, sights, and useful references. It will enable tourists from abroad to order tourism services and make payments through electronic payment systems. PPV will cooperate with tour operators, as well as other entities rendering tourism services, with membership of the PPV system being free. In addition, PPV will have no impact on the tariffs of services provided to tourists: the system’s income will be gained from the interest deducted from the value of the services rendered. The system is due to be introduced by the end of 2008 or in 2009. If successful, major hotels, air carriers, travel retail and car rental companies will record part of their sales through the internet. The convenience and ease of use of PPV is projected to increase the flow of foreign tourists into Armenia.

Table of contents

TRAVEL AND TOURISM IN ARMENIA : MARKET INSIGHT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Armenian tourism: steady growth but low arrival numbers

Tourists’ likes and dislikes about Armenia

Balance of payments positive due to higher receipts

Development of ecotourism and village tourism

On-line payment option is on the way

KEY TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS

Stronger Armenian dram poses threat to tourism development

Investment flow slowly spreading to the regions

Armenian tourism remains contingent on diaspora Armenians

Lack of sea in Armenia impedes growth of domestic tourism

Development of sports and health tourism on the rise

Improving mechanism for internal coordination

Marketing continues to improve

MARKET INDICATORS

Table 1 Length of Domestic Trip: 2002-2007

Table 2 Length of Outbound Departure: 2002-2007

MARKET DATA

Table 3 Arrivals by Country of Origin: 2002-2007

Table 4 Arrivals by Method of Transport: 2002-2007

Table 5 Arrivals by Purpose of Visit: 2002-2007

Table 6 Incoming Tourist Receipts: Value 2002-2007

Table 7 Forecast Arrivals by Country of Origin: 2007-2012

Table 8 Forecast Arrivals by Method of Transport: 2007-2012

Table 9 Forecast Arrivals by Purpose of Visit: 2007-2012

Table 10 Forecast Incoming Tourist Receipts: Value 2007-2012

Table 11 Departures by Destination: 2002-2007

Table 12 Departures by Method of Transport: 2002-2007

Table 13 Departures by Purpose of Visit: 2002-2007

Table 14 Outgoing Tourist Expenditure: Value 2002-2007

Table 15 Forecast Departures by Destination: 2007-2012

Table 16 Forecast Departures by Method of Transport: 2007-2012

Table 17 Forecast Departures by Purpose of Visit: 2007-2012

Table 18 Forecast Outgoing Tourist Expenditure: Value 2007-2012

Table 19 Domestic Trips by Purpose of Visit and by Method of Transport: 2002-2007

Table 20 Domestic Tourist Expenditure: Value: 2002-2007

Table 21 Forecast Domestic Trips by Purpose of Visit and by Method of Transport: 2007-2012

Table 22 Forecast Domestic Tourist Expenditure: Value: 2007-2012

Table 23 Tourist Attractions: Value 2002-2007

Table 24 Forecast Tourist Attractions: Value 2007-2012

Table 25 Health and Wellness Tourism Sales: Value 2002-2007

Table 26 Forecast Health and Wellness Sales: Value 2007-2012

Table 27 Balance of Tourism Payments: Value 2002-2007

DEFINITIONS

Tourism Parameters

Travel accommodation

Transportation

Car rental

Travel retail

Internet sales

Summary 1 Research Sources

TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION IN ARMENIA

Headlines

Trends

Prospects

Sector Data

Table 28 Travel Accommodation Sales by Sector: Value 2002-2007

Table 29 Travel Accommodation Outlets by Sector: Units 2002-2007

Table 30 Regional Hotel Parameters 2007

Table 31 Travel Accommodation by Sector: Number of Rooms 2005-2007

Table 32 Travel Accommodation by Sector: Number of Beds 2005-2007

Table 33 Hotel Company Rankings 2005-2007

Table 34 Forecast Travel Accommodation Sales by Sector: Value 2007-2012

Table 35 Forecast Travel Accommodation Outlets by Sector: Units 2007-2012

TRANSPORTATION IN ARMENIA

Headlines

Trends

Prospects

Sector Data

Table 36 Transportation Sales by Sector: Value 2002-2007

Table 37 Airline Company Rankings 2005-2007

Table 38 Forecast Transportation Sales by Sector: Value 2007-2012

CAR RENTAL IN ARMENIA

Headlines

Trends

PROSPECTS

Sector Data

Table 39 Car Rental Sales: Value 2002-2007

Table 40 Car Rental Company Rankings 2005-2007

Table 41 Forecast Car Rental Sales: Value 2007-2012

TRAVEL RETAIL IN ARMENIA

Headlines

Trends

Prospects

Sector Data

Table 42 Travel Retail Outlets: Units 2002-2007

Table 43 Travel Retail Products Sales: Value 2002-2007

Table 44 Travel Retail Products Company Rankings 2005-2007

Table 45 Forecast Travel Retail Outlets: Units 2007-2012

Table 46 Forecast Travel Retail Products Sales: Value 2007-2012