Tourism, both domestic and foreign, is actively developing in Armenia. Summer holidays in the mountains, where summer heat is not so felt, bringing a lot of discomfort to the residents of Yerevan, are becoming more and more popular.
Foreign tourists flock to the mountains of Armenia, the flow of which is growing every year. According to experts, the latest events in Georgia will further increase the flow of tourists from Russia to Armenia.
The number of resort towns and villages in Armenia is increasing. If before the summer vacation places were mostly "hyped" since the Soviet times, the resorts of Tsaghkadzor, Dzhemuk, Arzni, of Archavon, now geography is expanding. Guest houses and mini-hotels designed to receive guests appear in many mountain villages, where previously the population was engaged exclusively in agriculture and if it received guests – the relatives and friends living in the city.Gradually there is interest, both domestic and foreign tourists to the villages where Yazidis live. Especially great potential in Yazidi villages spread around mount Aragats. Already, many of the Armenian tourist company specifically to carry tourists in the mountain villages of the Yazidi. Clean air, cool climate, natural food – this is the wealth that the inhabitants of the mountain villages can share with guests.

It is clear that, being conservatives, some Yazidis fear that the influx of guests - citizens can shake their foundations.  But, for example, in Georgia there is also the mountain area of Svaneti, where until recently local residents, the Georgians, the Svans in their conservatism had lost to the world. Now Svaneti is becoming a popular holiday destination for both foreign and domestic tourists. The life and traditions of the population are still carefully preserved.Regarding the rest of the residents of Georgian cities, first of all, Tbilisi, we can also note the following: people still tend to something in the "native" areas for themselves. That is, Georgians-rachins in the summer sought and seek to get to Racha, Kakheti – in Kakheti, etc. And the problem for the Yazidis of Tbilisi for a long time was that within Georgia they did not have "their" villages. But there are Yazidi villages in Armenia, and in areas with stunning nature. At the same time, the Armenian authorities are interested in the influx of tourists from Georgia. In particular, the Armenian Ambassador to Georgia Ruben Sadoyan in a recent interview directly says how much Armenia is interested in this ( https://sputnik-georgia.ru/interview/20190525/245351560/Posol-Armenii-o-sladkikh-vremenakh-i-bratskikh-otnosheniyakh-s-Gruziey.html ) :

"We still have to do everything in our power to make a lot of Georgians visit Armenia. For them to discover Armenia, especially young people. I very often questioned, and, behold, the man is 20-25 years old, and he has never been to Armenia. When you ask why, they say, "we don't know." What does that mean? That means no one showed any interest in it." -Ruben Sadoyan notes. Moreover, not only Georgians but also citizens of Georgia of Yazidi nationality should discover Armenia. Especially when you consider that Yazidi villages in Armenia continue to be the "standard" of Yazidi culture and traditions. There are all prospects for Yerevan residents and tourists from Tbilisi, Moscow and other major cities to go to the mountains of Armenia to Yazidi villages in the summer months. Tourism will provide an opportunity to support the economy of mountain villages and fewer people will leave their homes to earn money.

Ezidin Safari

Translated by David Babaev