Euronews Travel: Go off the beaten track in beautiful Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - In the post-pandemic era of travel, Armenia is positioning itself as an off the beaten track destination. Visitors are being encouraged to look beyond the capital Yerevan and to explore its rural and mountainous areas.

In a fresh article, Euronews Travel is ahedding a light on how Armenia is encouraging people to explore its rural and mountainous area.

“We have a new tagline, ‘Armenia: The Hidden Track,’” Sisian Boghossian, head of Armenia’s Tourism Committee, says.

“We have many hidden gems. We have amazing scenery, we have great pristine landscapes for hiking, nature and adventure tourism.

“But we want to make sure we’ll be able to preserve those as well. If we have overtourism, that’s something that’s going to potentially jeopardise that.”

Part of Armenia’s ‘hidden track’ approach is enticing visitors to stay in one of its many remote villages, sampling the hospitality of locals.

“When I was young, I went to big hotels, all inclusive, laid by the pool. But today I don’t like it. I like being in nature, where there’s something to see, to go walking a little bit,” says Bianka Blom, a German tourist on a road trip in Armenia with her family.

The Bloms have opted to stay at the Tegher Gastro Yard and Pottery Centre, around an hour’s drive from the capital Yerevan, in the village of Tegher in the Aragatsotn region.

It is part of a network of Gastro Yards, run by villagers, which aim to immerse visitors in local culture, heritage and gastronomy.

At Tegher, you can try your hand at pottery and creating stained glass, with the help of the friendly, and talented, Shushan family.

They also provide accommodation, including a hand-crafted treehouse, and a restaurant, nestled in gardens which are full of all sorts of creations and curiosities.

Armenia’s ‘hidden track’ tourism seeks to satisfy increasing desires for slow and authentic experiences post-pandemic.

But it’s also seen as key to unlocking the development of rural areas and communities in this small country of three million people.

“It’s an opportunity for the families and local people who are working or can work in the tourism sector. It’s an excellent opportunity to create new jobs,” says Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), who recently visited Armenia.

Armenia’s wine heritage can also be found beyond the bright lights of Yerevan. Natives believe that Noah planted a grape vine at the foot of Mount Ararat after the Flood, so it is something that is sacred to them.

Head to the village of Areni, in Vayots Dzor province, and you can visit the remains of what Armenians proudly say is the world’s oldest winery. Other countries in the region dispute this claim.

The Areni-1 winery was discovered in a cave complex in 2007 by Armenian and Irish archaeologists and is understood to date back to 4100 BC.

Brandy is the signature drink of Armenia, Nina Azizyan, lead guide at the Yerevan Ararat Brandy Wine Vodka Factory, tells Euronews Travel.

The historic factory, in the capital, produces 22 million bottles of brandy every year and is famous for its Noy brand.

Going off the ‘hidden track’ in Armenia is about discovering more of the country’s rich religious and spiritual heritage too.

Armenia is one of the earliest Christian civilisations, with its first churches said to have been founded in the fourth century.

“We have thousands of churches and monasteries across Armenia. A lot of them are out in the regions as well, which encourages people to leave the capital city,” says Boghossian.