After years of rapid growth, the number of Iranian tourists visiting Armenia appears to have fallen significantly this year amid an increasingly adverse impact of international sanctions on Iran's economy.
In recent years, Armenia has become a major travel destination for Iranians attracted by its more liberal environment and proximity. According to Armenian government data, more than 134,600 of them visited Iran's sole Christian neighbor last year, up from some 120,860 in 2010. The influx was particularly visible in March, during two-week celebrations of Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi hailed this phenomenon when he visited Yerevan late last year. "I hope that one day one million Iranian tourists will visit Armenia," Salehi said, calling for the introduction of visa-free travel between the two neighboring states.
Armenian News
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