We aim to promote ecotourism - the force that will contribute to a better
understanding of our natural and cultural heritage and will provide revenue
to the local community sufficient for people to value, and, therefore
to protect the environment as a source of income.

The Tourism in Mountain Regions - Influence on Natural and Cultural Diversity international workshop was held in Yerevan, Armenia 27-29 October 2003.
The workshop was organized by Armenian Ecotourism Association and supported by the Tourism Development Department and the Ministry of Nature Protection, Republic of Armenia.

The workshop was sponsored by the East East Program of the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation - Armenia.

A total of 31 participants representing 9 countries participated in the workshop.
The objective of the workshop was to summarize the experience of sustainable tourism development in the Caucasian countries and enrich it with successful experience from other CIS countries and Eastern European countries, thus prepare a basis for establishing the regional strategy of tourism sustainable development.

Table of Contents

Resolution of the workshop

The Development of Ecotourism along the River Drava in
Hungary and Croatia: some practical steps towards Implementation
David Reeder, WWF coordinator for the Drava River

Sustainable Rural Tourism Development in Latvia
Asnate Ziemele, Latvian Country Tourism Association, President

Experience and the Process of Establishment of Rural Tourism Model In Kyrgyz Republic
Aigul Shabdanbekova, Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association "Hospitality Kyrgyzstan",
Marketing specialist

Ecotourism and Agrotourism in South Caucasus - Prospects and Problems
Zhanna Galyan, Armenian Ecotourism Association, President

Tufenkian Heritage Hotels
Lilit Hakobyan, TUFENKIAN HOSPITALITY, PR Manager

Levan Palavandishvili, Agrotourism Association of Georgian, President

Use of Mountainous Recreational Tourism Resources for
Recreation of the Handicapped
Oleksandr Voloshynskyy, the Green Cross Society, President

Ecotourism in Protected Areas of Western Ukraine
Yaroslav Henyk, NGO "European Dialog", Head
of Environmental Programs

Scientific and student tourism in protected areas
Evgeniy Pogozhev, Ecological Travels Center, Executive Director

Along the Sea Lanes of Ancestors - Sailing Ship Cilicia
Ara Tamanyan, Nautical Research Club "Ayas"

"The Green Key" Ecological System
Aivar Ruukel, Estonian Ecotourism Association, President

Tourism Development in the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park
Dorothea Wegelein, Borjomi-Khalagauri NP

Tourism Development Prospects for Protected Areas of Armenia
Aram Aghasyan, Head of Protected Areas Management Department,
Bio-resources Management Agency of the Ministry of Nature Protection


Tourism Development in Regions of Armenia
Artur Zakaryan, Head of Tourism Development Department

Tourism Development Program in Dilijan Town
Ashot Hovhannisyan, Head of Tourism Board, Dilijan

Tourism Development Program in Ijevan Town
Olia Ohanyan, Tourist Information Center Director, Ijevan

Tourism Development Prospects in Vayots Dzor Region
Shirak Mikaelyan, Tourism Development Center, Vayk

Tourism Development Program in Vardenis
Tatevik Mchitaryan, "Areguni" society, Vardenis

The Project "Trans Caucasus Tourism Initiative"
Gayane Shagoyan, WB Trans Caucasus Tourism Initiative, National Expert

Workshop Program

List of Participants

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