EcoLur
In reply to international conference “Responsible Mining in Armenia: Opportunities and Challenges” organized by the Armenian government with the support of the World Bank, EBRD, US, UK and German Embassies, Canadian Government, the public organized “Irresponsible Mining in Armenia” alternative conference. EcoLur starts publishing materials presented at Alternative Conference.
Responsible Tourism or Irresponsible Mining Industry Movses Manukyan, “Healthy Hrazdan” environmental group
The Armenian Government stated about developing tourism sector as a priority direction for Armenia…The potential of developing such directions of tourism as historical and cultural, ecological, ethnic, extreme, health tourism is rather high. Armenia has such tourism centers and zones developed as Jermuk resort, Tsaghkadzor with their infrastructures of medium-class and luxury hotels, Aghveran-Arzakan gorge etc…
Nevertheless, Energy and Natural Resources Ministry issues soil management licenses in these very zones. It’s even enough to list licenses issued for Amulsar mine next to Jermuk resort, Hrazdan iron mine next to Tsakhkadzor, Svarants mine next to Tatev complex etc. As it’s known tourism and mining are incompatible in one area…Benefits from tourism development for Armenia are obvious. The number of tourists for 2013 only having visited Armenia exceeded 700,000 people. Even estimations show that each tourist left minimum US $1000 in the country, i.e. the total sum makes up US $700,000,000…
Read the full version in Armenian.
March 26, 2014 at 12:49