ARMENIA: Armenia, Iran To build Up Tourist Flows All, With Help Of Visa Free Regime

Vardan Voskanyan, the head of the Iran science department of the Yerevan State University, thinks that a visa-free regime between Armenia and Iran would open many prospects for development of tourism.

Armenian and Iranian lawmakers, he said, have already ratified the agreement the two countries signed in June to strengthen their economic trade and other ties and the agreement will come into force in the next two weeks.

Voskanyan said that visa free regime will intensify flows of Iranian tourists to Armenia, especially to its southern areas.

“Taking into account the fact that Iranian tourists prefer to travel by cars, Armenia should improve all its infrastructures in southern areas and this will enhance their attractiveness and will increase the population’s income from tourism,” he said.

Voskanyan also said that Armenians, on their side, will get access to Christian sites in Iran.

The free visa regime allows Armenian and Iranian citizens to stay in the neighboring country’s territory throughout up to 90 days in a 180-day period without entry visas.

According to the statistical reports, Armenia hosted more than 252,000 tourists in the first quarter of this year – 8.6% more than in the first quarter of 2015.

Some 1.192 million tourists came to Armenia in 2015 – 1% less than one year earlier.

ARMENIA: Armenia Is Among Countries On Iran's Tourism Agenda

Head of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization Masoud Soltanifar said on Thursday that Armenia is among Iran's tourism promotion objectives.

He said Iran has designated some 40 foreign countries which are on the tourist agenda and Armenia is one of them.

Iran and Yerevan have many cultural and civilization commonalities, therefore it will be quite natural that both sides would mind to visit each other tourists attractions, he said.

Iran is a suitable investment market for Armenian investors, he said adding that it is expected that the government's policy on promotion of tourism industry will attract Armenian investors, he said.

Soltanifar also met with Armenian tourism minister and met with Iranian hoteliers in the country.