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The Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs Gevorg Papoyan, the Committee members Arusyak Manavazyan, Narek Grigoryan, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the RA to Germany Viktor Yengibaryan, being in the Federal Republic of Germany on a working visit, met with the Chairwoman of the Standing Committee on Tourism of the German Bundestag Jana Schimke and the other Committee members in Berlin on October 10.

Thanking Jana Schimke for the opportunity to meet, the Head of the delegation highlighted Armenian-German political and economic relations and the role of the parliamentarians in this context. Gevorg Papoyan added that issues regarding tourism are within the scope of the Committee on Economic Affairs, because we do not have a separate Committee on Tourism.

Turning to the security and humanitarian issues in the RA, Gevorg Papoyan specifically singled out the positive role and active involvement of Germany, expressing hope that democracy and economic development will help solve all the problems. He mentioned that the number of tourists in Armenia is huge, stressing that there is a desire to see a record number of German tourists in Armenia next year, which, of course, will be the result of joint active work.

As a first step towards the development of tourist relations, Gevorg Papoyan highlihghted the importance of direct flights between Armenia and Germany, expressing desire to see several more, including Berlin, among Frankfurt, Dortmund and Dusseldorf. He underlined the issue of organizing mutual contacts and forums of tour operators, stressing that Armenia is ready to support any idea aimed at the activation of Armenian-German relations. The Head of the delegation added that despite the security problems facing Armenia, the tourist is free, safe and protected inside the country. Touching upon the fact of Germany’s involvement in the settlement of regional problems, Gevorg Papoyan underscored the necessity of concluding a peace treaty.

Jana Schimke, reacting, emphasized the security component as well. Speaking about the activity of the Committee on Tourism in Germany, she regretted that they do not have a relevant Ministry, and a significant part of the burden of the sector is on the Committee’s shoulders.

During the meeting, to the questions raised by the German side about how the training of specialists in the field of tourism is organized, how overloaded Armenia is at the moment with the forcibly displaced people of Nagorno-Karabakh or what attracts tourists to Armenia, the Committee Chair mentioned the historical and cultural heritage of Armenia, the four seasons wonderfully expressed in Armenia, and the high quality of the service sector. Emphasizing once again that it is safe inside Armenia, the Head of the delegation invited the attendees to Armenia to see with their own eyes and admire the wonderful nature and historical and cultural values of Armenia. He added that Armenia has also succeeded in educating specialists in the field of tourism, because it has relevant faculties and educational programmes in the university, which train excellent specialists in the mentioned field.

The German side was also interested in the question whether Lake Sevan is used for the purpose of tourism or whether it is preserved as an untouched wonder of nature. Answering the question, Gevorg Papoyan noted that Lake Sevan is in the center of special attention both as a miracle of nature and as an opportunity for the development of tourism.

The member of the RA NA delegation Arusyak Manavazyan, expressing her gratitude for the opportunity to meet, inquired about the latest legislative initiative of the German side, which was successful or made a difference in tourism. Jana Schimke, reacting, noted that the consequences of the coronavirus are still noticeable in the country, but Germany is trying to achieve better than it is now.