As Armenia tries to reposition itself in the global tourism market, a number of challenges continue to limit both the traditional tourism and emerging niches, such as medical tourism.
According to the Tourism Committee of the Armenian Ministry of Economy, 2.2 million tourists visited Armenia in 2024, a slight decrease from 2.31 million in 2023. The top countries sending tourists to Armenia were Russia, Georgia and Iran. Roughly 50% or 1.2 million of all tourists came from Russia in 2023, which decreased to 43.1% in 2024.
Armenia has traditionally attracted tourists with its culture, nature and food. However, as Armenia seeks to diversify and stabilize tourism flows, new niches are emerging.
One promising area is medical tourism, including dental care, aesthetic surgery and even oncology-related procedures.
“There is a big potential for medical tourism, especially in attracting tourists from Arab countries, who used to travel to Turkey for that,” said Karen Hovhannisyan, head of the Global Aviatour tour agency and member of the Armenian Tourism Federation speaking at the International Tourism Fair in Yerevan on Nov. 21–23.
According to Hovhannisyan, medical tourism includes a rigorous and long process, starting with online consultations with the doctor, followed by medical tests in Armenia, and only then the actual procedure. Subsequent recovery usually ranges between 10-15 days, and sightseeings program is incorporated during this period as well.
While aesthetic procedures have been more dominant so far, Hovhannisyan said his company is planning to expand and provide a new service for oncology, as there is a growing demand.
Another new area for Armenian tourism is MICE tourism- meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. This type of tourism includes large groups of people traveling for commercial or professional purposes.
“This type of tourism includes the organization of conferences and large-scale events,” said Eduard Asatryan, project manager at Visit Armenia DMC & Travel tour agency. “We have been involved in the organization in a number of events, including the EuroBasket U20 Championship Armenia. We organize everything from A to Z.”
While these new types of tourism have significant potential, there are still persistent challenges Armenia faces. The Tourism Committee identified three main challenges: infrastructure, seasonality and brand awareness.
There are several regions which do not have up-to-date accommodation, restaurants and services. To attract international travellers, regions need to develop hotels and guesthouses to sufficient standards.
Brand awareness is another issue. Armenia needs more visibility in international media, social media campaigns in target countries and airline partnerships.
This leads to another major concern raised by the industry professionals—absence of stable, regular international flights.
“We are fighting to have regular flights to Armenia from all directions,” Hovhannisyan said. “If we want to develop tourism, this is the first thing we need.”
He added that even newly opened routes, such as direct flights from Kuwait with Jazeera Airways are unstable unless the visa issues are resolved. Armenian citizens travelling to Kuwait need a visa, whereas Armenia has recently introduced a visa-free regime for citizens of 116 countries, including Kuwait until Dec. 31, 2025.
Finally, the cost of travelling to Armenia continues to be a concern. According to the Cost of Living Index 2024, Yerevan is the most expensive city in the South Caucasus, surpassing even Moscow.
“Travelling in Armenia is not cheap, especially in comparison to neighboring Georgia,” Asatryan said. “But Armenia has a big advantage—service in Armenia is exceptional. You can’t get this level of service anywhere else. So the price is actually proportionate to the service you receive.”
Prices go even higher during the New Year season. Hotels in Tsaghkadzor, one of Armenia’s popular destinations, offer four-night options ranging from $550 to $1000 per person.
As a result, Hovhannisyan said some tourists prefer to stay in Tbilisi, Georgia, and only come to Armenia for a short visit, with Armenia losing the much larger economic benefit of a longer stay.
“Despite certain improvements, there are still a number of challenges in the tourism sector,” Hovhannisyan said. “And we fight all of these challenges every day.”