Changes to visa regulations were discussed by Lusine Gevorgyan, Chair of the Armenian Tourism Committee, and Simonida Kordić, Montenegro’s Minister of Tourism.
At the meeting, held as part of the ITB Berlin 2026 international exhibition, issues of bilateral tourism cooperation were discussed, including changes to visa regulations, tourism statistics, and the latest developments in the industry.
The use of digitalization tools and AI was addressed, as well as opportunities for cooperation within the framework of international exhibitions, festivals, and other events.
The importance of launching direct flights to Tivat in 2026 was emphasized, as this will contribute to the growth of tourist flows.
The Armenian side presented a draft memorandum of cooperation in the field of tourism aimed at deepening bilateral ties and the sustainable development of tourism.
Regarding the decision of the Montenegrin Cabinet In October 2025, Montenegro suspended visa-free entry for citizens of Armenia and several other countries as part of its commitments to prepare for EU accession. Previously, Armenian citizens could visit Montenegro without a visa for short-term tourist purposes.
Citizens of Montenegro do not need a visa to travel to Armenia; they may stay in the Republic of Armenia for up to 180 days.
Armenia plans to strengthen its tourism sector by developing several key niches, including medical tourism, eco-tourism, and religious tourism, according to Lusine Gevorgyan, head of the country’s Tourism Committee.
Medical Tourism Conference and New Digital Platform
Gevorgyan said that in January Armenia will host a conference on medical tourism organized jointly with the United Nations. Representatives from countries with strong medical tourism industries are expected to attend.
“These countries welcome hundreds of thousands of medical tourists every year,” Gevorgyan said.
She noted that medical tourism covers many areas of healthcare. Therefore, Armenia is developing digital tools that will help travelers find affordable and high-quality medical services.
A new online platform, med.am, will soon launch. It will allow visitors to search for certified doctors in plastic and aesthetic surgery as well as other medical specialties. In addition, users will be able to connect with insurance providers and tour operators, making it easier to plan medical trips to Armenia.
Strong Potential for Eco and Religious Tourism
At the same time, Armenia also sees strong potential in eco-tourism and religious tourism, Gevorgyan said.
Many international visitors do not realize that Armenia became the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD. As a result, authorities plan to develop tourism products that highlight the country’s historic monasteries, pilgrimage routes, and natural landscapes.
International Promotion and Domestic Tourism Development
The Tourism Committee also emphasizes the importance of promoting Armenia at international tourism exhibitions and platforms.
Meanwhile, the government is working to strengthen domestic tourism. The program includes:
improving tourism infrastructure in the regions
launching educational grant programs in tourism
creating a digital database of tour operators
In addition, the Tourism Committee plans to introduce certification for tour operators and launch a rating system to improve service quality.
Expanding the Tourist Experience
Under the new strategy, tour guides will be encouraged to offer more diverse travel experiences. For example, tours may include:
visits not only to churches but also to Armenia’s natural attractions
tastings of local cuisine
immersive cultural activities
According to Gevorgyan, these initiatives will help extend tourists’ stays in the country.
Armenia Tourism Strategy 2026–2030
In January, the Armenian government approved the Tourism Development Strategy for 2026–2030. The program aims to address long-standing industry challenges and coordinate reforms, including legislative changes.
In particular, the strategy focuses on practical improvements such as:
upgrading roads to tourist sites
improving cleanliness standards
expanding tourist infrastructure, including public restrooms
raising overall service quality
If the program succeeds, Armenia aims to achieve the following goals by 2030:
increase international tourist arrivals to 3 million
reach 4.5 million domestic trips
boost tourism spending to $3.8 billion
create 20,000 new jobs in the tourism sector
The strategy highlights priority segments such as cultural, gastronomic, and adventure tourism. At the same time, it supports the development of agro-tourism, MICE tourism, religious tourism, medical tourism, and wellness travel.
According to official statistics, 2,263,642 tourists visited Armenia in 2025, which represents a 2.5% year-on-year increase.
Starting May 2, 2026, direct flights between Yerevan and Riga are set to launch. The Latvian national carrier airBaltic will operate the route, according to Armenia’s Tourism Committee.
airbaltic.com
Officials discussed the new Yerevan–Riga direct flights during a meeting between Lusine Gevorgyan, Head of the Tourism Committee of Armenia, and Edite Medne, Ambassador of Latvia to Armenia.
Both sides welcomed the launch of nonstop air service, noting that it will boost bilateral tourism, strengthen business ties, and improve connectivity between Armenia and Latvia.
Participants also reviewed opportunities to expand tourism cooperation and organize joint events ahead of the first scheduled flight. The meeting included Armen Gasaboglyan, Honorary Consul of Latvia in Armenia.
Chair of the RA Tourism Committee Lusine Gevorgyan spoke about plans to launch direct flights to Armenia from Beijing and Shanghai.
“A memorandum of understanding has been signed with one of the Armenian airlines. It is currently negotiating with two major Chinese carriers to launch new flights between Armenia and China in June,” she said in an interview with CivilNet.
According to Gevorgyan, the annual growth in the number of tourists from China to Armenia reached 37%, amounting to about 45,000 visitors. “And this is despite the fact that currently, direct flights to our country are available only from the industrial city of Urumqi,” the head of the agency noted.
She added that Chinese tourists often take advantage of regional travel packages, joining group tours to the countries of the South Caucasus.
The launch of direct flights between Yerevan and London in June 2026 was discussed on Tuesday by Armenia’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure and the British Ambassador to Armenia.
The launch of direct flights between Yerevan and London in June 2026 was discussed on Tuesday by Armenia’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure David Khudatyan and British Ambassador to Armenia Alexandra Cole.
The interlocutors emphasized the importance of launching this air route, which will further develop relations between the two countries in both the trade and economic spheres and in the field of tourism.
“I emphasized the importance of the steady development of relations between Armenia and the United Kingdom. In turn, the ambassador noted that Armenian-British relations are at the level of a strategic partnership,” Khudatyan wrote on his Facebook page.
The minister and the ambassador discussed infrastructure programs. Khudatyan said that his ministry is implementing a major infrastructure program and expressed hope that British companies will participate in these projects and international tenders.
They also touched upon the Armenian government’s “Crossroads of the World” initiative.
The Tourism Committee of Armenia rejected recent claims suggesting that the airline’s flights had been suspended due to technical aircraft issues. Officials stated that these reports are not true.
The Committee also noted that, according to the international organization AirlineRatings, Wizz Air ranks among the world’s 50 safest airlines and is listed in the top 10 safest low-cost carriers globally.
Wizz Air in Armenia
On October 1, 2025, Wizz Air officially opened its 34th base at Zvartnots International Airport.
Since launching its first flight to Armenia in 2020, the airline has carried more than 2.6 million passengers. It currently operates 16 routes to nine countries using two aircraft based in Yerevan.
Overall, 2,263,642 tourists traveled to Armenia in 2025. In the previous year, from January to December 2024, the figure stood at 2,208,179, according to the Tourism Committee.
During 2025, most visitors came from Russia, Georgia, and Iran. Russia ranked first with 921,704 visitors, accounting for 41% of the total. Georgia followed with 258,858 visitors, or 13%. Meanwhile, Iran ranked third with 182,364 visitors, or 8%.
Looking ahead, the Armenian government has adopted a Strategic Tourism Development Program for 2026–2030. Under this plan, officials aim to increase annual tourist arrivals to 3 million.
According to the publication, the country, set in the rugged Caucasus Mountains, has attracted hiking and nature enthusiasts for decades. Recently, however, tourist numbers have grown rapidly.
Stones symphony in Armenia
Against this backdrop, Yerevan will host the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in May. This event ranks among the world’s leading wine competitions. In addition, Armenia offers deep winemaking traditions that date back more than 6,000 years. As a result, wine lovers can explore four main wine regions across the country.
Beyond wine tourism, the article highlights several natural attractions. For example, Lake Sevan sits high in the mountains and features monasteries that date back nearly a thousand years. Meanwhile, Dilijan National Park offers alpine meadows, dense forests, and mineral springs. A wide network of hiking trails connects these landscapes.
Furthermore, the park protects rare and endangered plant species. It also supports wildlife such as brown bears, wolves, and European wildcats.
In December, 139,933 tourists arrived in the country. This figure became the best December result in Armenia’s history.
Armenia welcomed a total of 2,263,642 tourists in 2025. This result exceeds the 2024 level by 2.5% and stands 19.4% above the 2019 level. Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan announced this at a government meeting on Thursday.
Papoyan said that May, June, July, August, October, November, and December showed record-high results. Seven out of twelve months became the strongest months in Armenia’s tourism history.
He also noted that 2023 remains the best year so far. In that year, Armenia hosted 50,000 more tourists than in 2025.
Papoyan explained that the number of tourists from Russia dropped by 216,000 compared to 2023. At the same time, the number of tourists from other countries grew by 166,000. As a result, the overall decline reached only 50,000 visitors.
Tourism remains an important sector for Armenia’s economy. The government plans to expand this sector further. Under the Tourism Development Strategy for 2026–2030, Armenia aims to increase annual tourist arrivals to 3 million. For comparison, the country hosted about 2.2 million tourists in 2024.
“Take note of these 26 destinations we suggest for 2026 and make the coming year the most travel-filled of your life,” the authors of the article write.
It is noted that Armenia will become one of the most popular destinations in 2026 thanks to its combination of exoticism, history, and rich cultural heritage.
The publication recommends visiting the temples of Garni and Geghard, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Lake Sevan and “Armenian Switzerland” – Dilijan, the Khor Virap monastery overlooking Ararat and Tatev, dating back to the 9th century, as well as to taste Armenian wines with 6,000 years of history and visit the Matenadaran museum, which houses one of the world’s largest collections of ancient manuscripts.
