ArmInfo. The South Caucasus Railway (SCR) and the Armenian Tourism Federation signed a Memorandum of Collaboration. The document was signed by SCR Director Alexey Melnikov and Chairman of the Armenian Tourism Federation Mekhak Apresyan on November 5 in Yerevan. Prior to signing the document, the parties discussed the outcomes of new joint initiatives to develop rail tourism in Armenia.
The Chairman of the Tourism Federation expressed confidence that the collaboration with SCR will contribute to the development of tourism in Armenia, increase its competitiveness, and expand regional cooperation in this sector. According to Apresyan, they also aim to extend the tourist season and intensify it during less active periods. In turn, Melnikov noted that SCR has already carried over 450,000 passengers this year, including 40,000 on international routes. He stated that they are striving to increase passenger traffic and provide comfortable conditions for rail travel. In this regard, he spoke about a new initiative to organize rail tours.
"This year, SCR, in collaboration with Gepard Express and Georgian colleagues, developed a tourism product that allowed 200 European tourists to spend three days in Armenia and four days in Georgia. This journey allowed them to enjoy the beauty of both countries, with the railway serving as a hotel on wheels, relieving the tourists of the hassle of accommodation and travel," Melnikov said. He shared the positive feedback this new product has received from passengers and expressed confidence that interest in Armenia as a tourist destination will only grow. The SCR director also announced plans to replicate similar routes on other routes.
"Even representatives from South Africa and colleagues from Russian Railways Tour have expressed interest in this project," Melnikov added. The director of South Caucasus Railways clarified that six passenger cars were used to implement this route, which, according to him, is currently sufficient to provide comfortable travel for tourists. "This technology has already been proven, allowing us to roll out the product on a permanent basis. Therefore, we intend to operate these routes year-round, given Armenia's climate, and also include wine tours. The most important thing for us in continuing this initiative is demand and interest," Melnikov concluded.
