YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–"We’ll probably provide financing under development of tourism in Armenia," a representative of World Organization of Tourism (WOT) Rod Hamilton said.
WOT representatives Rod Hamilton and Francoise Duffaut arrived in Armenia last week and will stay here through August 23 in fringes of a program of technical assistance to Armenia’s tourism sector. The visit was arranged by the United Nations Development Program.
According to Hamilton–WOT aims at developing cooperation with private and state sectors which will allow to restore a balanced situation in the tourism industry. He opined that this program would considerably decrease the unemployment rate in Armenia which currently makes up 10 percent. "According to some estimations–in the year of 2001 the number of those employed in the sector of tourism will constitute 10% of the total number of employed throughout the world," he said.
The delegation of WOT visited the Armenian Industry and Trade Ministry and Ministry of Culture to learn the activity of those branches of industry which have relation to tourism.
In the coming days the delegation plans to visit a number of sights in Armenia which may be of interest for tourists.
Asked by NT journalist whether it is possible that a model of Croatia–where the economic uprise was accounted for the development of tourism will work in Armenia–Mr Hamilton said: "Anyway–there is certain sense in developing tourism."