This document summarizes ecotourism efforts in Armenia's protected natural areas. It describes Armenia's biodiversity and existing protected areas. Issues with tourism in some protected areas are mentioned, such as infrastructure problems and negative environmental impacts. Successful ecotourism projects supported by WWF Armenia and others are highlighted, including developing visitor facilities, trails, and training local guides. Community-based ecotourism projects aim to provide alternative incomes to reduce exploitation of natural resources. The document concludes with recommendations for sustainable ecotourism planning and management in Armenia's protected areas.

1. Situation and Trends in
Tourism and Protected Areas:
Cases from Armenia
European Ecotourism Conference
Pjarnu, Estonia 26-30 of September
2010
Zhanna Galyan
Armenian Ecotourism Association

3. Armenia in brief
 29,743 square kilometres
 The terrain is mostly mountainous
 Тhe highest point - 4,095 metres
 Тhe lowest point - 375 metres
 The climate is highland continental

6. Biodiversity
 3,500 species of higher vascular plants
 351 species of birds
 83 mammals
 8 amphibians, 53 reptiles, 31 fish
 Around 17,000 species of invertebrates
 Rich in endemic and rare species
 One of the centres of origin for wild
progenitors of crops and livestock

34. Is this the world's oldest shoe?
For lovers of fashion, it's the ultimate vintage
shoe.
The shoe was made from a single piece of
leather, tanned using vegetable oil, and shaped
to fit the wearer's foot
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-128

39. Nature Trails

41. Nature Trail Panel: Yerevan-
Geghard Monastery

42. Nature Trail Panel: ARAGATSOTN

43. Nature Trail Panel: ARMASH IBA

44. Field Guides and
other relevant sources

45. A Field Guide to Birds of Armenia
M.S. Adamian & D. Klem, Jr.
 A richly illustrated book
depicting 346 species
 Range distribution maps and
easy identification tips.
 Text description of all
species along with 61 color
plates by distinguished bird
artists.
 Detailed distribution map of
the location of еach bird
species and its abundance.

47. www.armeniabirding.info
A new exciting website dedicated to the wild birds of
Armenia has recently been launched.
The authors of the project are freelance ornithologists:
Vasil Ananian (Armenia) and Chris Bradshaw (United
Kingdom)

48. A Field Guide to Butterflies of
Armenia - Coming in 2012
 Field identification
guides for all 220
species recorded in
Armenia up to date.
 15 new species and
subspecies will be
described.
 Color plates will show
standard and rare
morphs.

49. 416 pages, 650 photos. 390 pages, color & b/w photos

50. If we succeeded in our
efforts to develop
ecotourism in protected
areas ?
Negative and Positive cases

51. Sevan National Park
Negative impacts of tourism
 Infrastructure
 The attitude of service providers
 Behavioral patterns of tourists

55. Khosrov State Reserve
 Our suggestions to correct the itineraries to
avoid the migration corridors for endangered
plants and animals.
 A typical case of Greenwashing
 SOS Khosrov campaign

58. Dilijan National Park
 Motorised quadricycle tours
 Littered picnic places
 Tree cutting

59. Vis vitae

62. WWF-Armenia
ecotourism projects in
protected areas

63. KHOSROV FOREST RESERVE
1. The visitor program is prepared
1. The visitor centre is constructed
staffed and fully operating
1. The camp site and 3 trails
1. The website www.khosrov.am is
running
1. Billboards, road signs, leaflet,
guidebook and documentary are
produced
1. Local guides are selected and
trained
1. National tour operators are involved
in cooperation

64. SHIKAHOGH RESERVE
1. The visitor program is prepared
1. The booklet, website
www.shikahogh.am, road signs and
billboards
1. The visitor part of the administration
building is renovated, furnished and
equipped
1. Filming of a documentary is ongoing
1. Selection and training of guides
1. FAM tours for tour operators and
journalists

65. Community-based tourism Projects in
close vicinity to protected areas
 Aim to reduce exploitation of
conservation areas by supplying
local people with viable economic
alternatives
 Are planned to be based on the
active creative involvement of
many people in all phases of
Ecotourism: planning,
development, management,
implementation and profit
distribution.

66. WWF Armenia -
Community Based
Projects

67. Bezoar goat observation site in
Shatin village
 Renovated and furnished the B&B facility
 Billboards and signs
 The staff of B&B is trained

74. Biodiversity Protection and
Community Development
 3 communities located near protected areas in
southern Armenia: Arevik National Park,
Shikahogh Reserve and Gnishik Sanctuary
establishing B&B facilities
 Alternative incomes to local people to avert
them from overexploitation of natural
resources

77. GEF small grants –
community based
projects:

78. Involvement of local communities in
conservation and ecotourism in
Khosrov Reserve
 establishment of a campsite in the buffer zone
 billboards and road signs
 tents, binoculars and spotting scopes for
visitors;
 training of local people on nature conservation
and ecotourism
 brochures and booklets on conservation and
ecotourism

80. Strengthening the role of local IBA
(Important Bird Areas) caretaker
 Visitor center at Dsegh IBA to promote
cooperation and build platform for local
community and stakeholders and contribute to
creation of alternative income source from
ecotourism development
 Future plans - development of B&Bs

84. ARMECAS
Our Mission: We are united 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.

85. The major goals of ecotourism
development in protected areas :
 Identify options for the integration into the
tourism business in order to get proper share of
tourism income
 Effectively manage the tourism to minimize
the negative environmental impact

86. ARMECAS activities in this
context:

Assessment of potential. Advertisement
and marketing campaign: www.ecotourismarmenia.com;
eatsc.ecotourismarmenia.com
 Elaboration, planning and sample study of ecotours.
Familiarization trips for national tour-operators
 Ecotourism in the Specially Protected Natural Areas: Guide
for Planning and Management.
 Ecotourism parts of the Management Plans for the Protected
Areas
 Ecotourism Planning and Management Training for tourism
staff and/or managers of the protected areas.

87. Ecotourism in Protected Natural Areas.
Guide for Planning and Management
 For planners and
managers of specially
protected natural areas
 For the decision makers
in this field
 Also useful for local
communities, private
tourism operators,
tourism accommodation
owners and others.

88. General Recommendations for
Ecotourism Development
 Recommendations for policy makers and
development planners
 Recommendations for PA management
 Cooperation between conservation and tourism
business.
 Recommendations for tourism businesses

89. Thank you for attention!