When tourist flows to Armenia increased in January, the Minister of Economy hastened to announce that this January was the best of all Januarys in Armenia. However, in the following months, Gevorg Papoyan stopped talking about the “best Januarys”.

In the following months, although tourist flows were higher than the previous year, they were no longer “historical records”.

As in February, the tourist flows increased in March, but after the decrease of last year. Flows never recovered to pre-decline levels. Fewer tourists came to Armenia in both February and March of this year than in 2024. in the same months. Compared to two years ago, tourist flows have decreased. The Minister of Economy does not talk about it, instead, he tries to create the impression that Armenia is at a record level of tourist flows.

“Armenia has achieved very good results in the field of tourism.

In particular, 453,138 tourists came to Armenia in the three months of this year. This is 18.2 percent or more than 70 thousand tourists more than the index of the same period last year.

This is a record index in the history of Armenia’s tourism statistics,” the Minister of Economy wrote on his Facebook page the other day.

That “record indicator”, which the Minister of Economy is talking about, was recorded exclusively on account of January. In the following months, the flows were no longer the same, they were less than they were even 2 years ago, and this gives reason to think. Especially after the investments of millions of dollars, which are directed to promote tourism and form new clusters. They take loans to develop tourism, to increase tourist flows, but as we can see, they do not always increase.

For example, in February of this year, far fewer tourists came to Armenia than in 2024. 2024 in February, tourist flows were 127.2 thousand, in February of this year – about 121.3 thousand. There was a decrease of almost 6 thousand in two years.

The same thing happened in March. Fewer tourists came to Armenia in March this year than in 2024. in the same month. This year, 152.4 thousand came, in 2024. 152.8 thousand came in March.

Not to mention 2023. about when the tourist flows were incomparably more in those months. 2023 in February, more than 130 thousand tourists came to Armenia, almost 9 thousand more than this year. 160,000 people came in March, compared to 152,400 this year.

Historical records of tourist flows in these months, which they love, are 2-3 years old. They haven’t been able to update those records for two or three years. And this speaks not only about the “effectiveness” of the programs implemented by the authorities in the field of tourism, but also about the “peace” they brought. Last year, Nikol Pashinyan announced that peace is already giving its results: tourism in Armenia is experiencing the best times and it will only be like this from now on. Now we see how tourism is experiencing its best times.

In those “best times”, tourist flows are less than when tourism was not experiencing the best times, and “peace” had not yet been brought.

In general, in 2026 7.1 thousand fewer tourists came to Armenia in February-March than in 2024. in the same months, 17.2 thousand less than in 2023. in the same months.

Of course, January is an exception and it is solely because of this that the Minister of Economy reserves the right to talk about “records”. Although, if he had thought a little longer, he might have given up such lofty statements.

The records, which one of the most active propagandists of the government is talking about, are even difficult to call growth. Do not believe, see for yourself.

Until now, according to the results of the first quarter, the highest indicator of tourist flows to Armenia was recorded in 2023. At that time, tourist flows exceeded 451.8 thousand. This year they reached 453.1 thousand. Now look at the difference: it is only 1.3 thousand.

That 1.3 thousand is the record they managed to reach after 3 years.

The growth in 3 years was barely 0.3 percent. “It is a great achievement” and a “record” growth for the Minister of Economy.

Tourism is developed and promoted with such growths and achievements. Tourist flows increased by 0.3 percent in three years. And that 0.3 percent is the record that the Minister of Economy is proud of.

After that, recently they took another loan of 100 million dollars, put a large debt on the state, as if they should create new clusters and increase tourist interests. Soon that money will be spent in the name of promoting tourism and increasing tourist flows, but in the end we will face the sad fact that we see now in the distance of a few years.

The small increases that are recorded from time to time in this area are not developments at all. They are just about survival. At this pace, it will never be possible to achieve great results. Last year, when Nikol Pashinyan said that tourism in Armenia is experiencing its best times, tourist flows increased by only 2.5 percent. However, the rate of growth in neighboring Georgia was 3.4 times higher. Georgia was visited by more than 5.5 million tourists, and Armenia by barely 2 million 263 thousand, less than 3 years ago, when tourist flows exceeded 2 million 316 thousand.

HAKOB KOCHARYAN

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