ARMENIA: Egyptian Airlines To Fly From Yerevan To Red Sea Resorts

Two Egyptian airlines will start operating regular flights from the capital of Armenia to the Egyptian resort towns on the Red Sea coast from the beginning of this summer, Russian news agency TASS reported citing the ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Armenia Tarek Muati.

According to him, two air carriers - Air Cairo and AMC – have signed agreements with two Armenian travel companies on the beginning of regular flights to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh.

Muati added that passenger planes will carry out three flights a week from Yerevan to these Egyptian resorts on the Red Sea. The first aircraft from Yerevan, according to the arrangements, will fly out on June 18.

The Egyptian ambassador to Armenia, who also serves as his country’s ambassador to Georgia, informed that currently there are four flights from Tbilisi each week to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh.

Armenia came third among the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the former Soviet republics, TourStat analyses agency reports.

According to the agency, top five countries for Russia’s residents are Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Gastronomic tourism in the CIS countries is one of the fast-growing segments of tourism in 2017.

The ranking is based on the analysis of demand for gastronomic tours.

TourStat says that one-week-tours are most demanded by Russian tourists.

For example, seven-day trip from Russia to Kazakhstan or Armenia with air tickers will cost $900, to Azerbaijan or Georgia $800 and to Uzbekistan $1000.

he Armenia airline started Monday operating regular flights from Yerevan to Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, the press service of the Armenian ministry of economic development and investment reported.

It said Lebanese tourism minister Avetis Kitanyan and the first deputy chairman of the State Tourism Committee of the Armenian ministry of economic development and investment Mekhak Apresyan, who took part in the opening ceremony of the flight, noted the importance of this event for the development of tourism, trade and economic relations between the two countries, noting also its importance for strengthening of friendly relations among peoples, as well as ensuring intercultural dialogue.

"This route will promote trade and economic ties between Armenia and Lebanon and increase the number of tourist visits," said Apresyan.

The flight Yerevan-Beirut-Yerevan will be carried out once a week until June, then twice a week, and three times a week beginning from July.

Some 8,100 Iranians arrived in the Armenian capital Yerevan through Armenia’s international airport Zvartnots on March 8 - April 4, Armenia’s Chief Civil Aviation department said today.

The greater part of Iranians who arrive in Armenia in late March, come to celebrate here Nowruz- the Iranian New Year.

According to Armenian civil aviation authorities, last year 5,300 Iranians arrived in Armenia through Zvartnots airport from March 19 to April 4. This year Iranian airlines have operated 80 regular and charter flights to Armenia.

Yerevan is among top ten cities for Russia citizens’ trips in May holidays, RoomGuru.ru hotel search service says.

According to the service, Russian citizens make hotel reservations for 3.5 nights, on average, and will pay around $70 a day.

The rating of the most popular destinations for Russian citizens with children is based on the review of hotel booking for a period between April 29 and May 10.

Top ten cities are Prague, Minsk, Vienna, Budapest, Tbilisi, Batumi, Baku, Tallinn, Yerevan and Vilnius.

TourStat travel agency says the number of trips of Russians with children rose 10% in 2017, compared with the previous year.

RoomGuru.ru is the Russian website of HotelsCombined.com service, which has been recognized by World Travel Awards the best hotel search resource in last four years.

A presentation, featuring the tourism opportunities of Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), was made in the Armenian pavilion on the territory of the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy (VDNKh) in Moscow. It was a joint initiative of the State Tourism Committee of the Ministry of Economic Development and Investment and the Development Fund of Armenia.

According to a press service of the Ministry of Economic Development and Investment, representatives of the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism, Russian tour operators and the media attended the presentation, whose purpose was to increase the recognition of Armenia in Russia and stimulate the tourism industry.

During the event, the culinary traditions of Armenia were presented, tasting of national dishes and alcoholic beverages was organized.

Guests were also introduced to the Armenian dance art, performed by the dance ensemble "Karin" under the direction of Gagik Ginosyan. The Marashlyan Retro photographic studio organized an exhibition of samples and photographs of Armenian national costumes. During the event, a raffle was held, the winner of which will have the opportunity to win a trip to Armenia.

RoomGuru.ru, hotel search service, has named Armenia's Tsaghkadzor among top ten popular mountain ski resorts for Russian citizens in April.

The rating is based on the review of hotel booking for a period between April 1 and 30, 2017.

Top ten mountain ski resorts for Russians with children this spring are Roza Khuyor (Russia), Ischgl (Austria), Livigno (Italy), Shereges (Russia), Big Wood (Russia’s Murmansk region), Gorniy Vozdukh (Rusia’s Sakhalin), Gudauri (Georgia), Chimburlak (Kazakhstan), Tsaghkadzor (Armenia) and Prielbrusie (Russia’s Kabardino-Balkaria).

According to RoomGuru.ru, tourists will spend in Tsaghkadzor 3,600 rubles a day, on average, and in other resorts from 4,000 to 7,000 a day. RoomGuru.ru is the Russian website of HotelsCombined.com service, which has been recognized by World Travel Awards the best hotel search resource in last four years.

As many as 3,091 Russian citizens have arrived in Armenia over one month with their country’s internal passports – 2,938 in Zvartnots Airport in Yerevan and 153 in Shirak Airport in Gyumri, the press office of the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia reported on Friday.

The agreement allowing Russian citizens to visit Armenia without visa procedures came into force on February 23.

A number of Iranian airlines are going to increase the number of flights to the Armenian capital city Yerevan in late March to bring more Iranians wishing to celebrate the Iranian New Year-Nowruz, marked on March 21 - in Armenia, Armenia’s Chief Civil Aviation Department said.

"Between March 15 and April 4, Iranian airlines will operate 67 regular and charter flights to Armenia from Mashad, Tavriz, Tehran and other Iranian cities," the Chief Civil Aviation Department said.

During this period, Iranian airlines will be operating 22 flights a week to Yerevan on average. The anticipated growth in the number of Iranians visiting Armenia will positively affect the development of tourism and the economy of Armenia, it said.