Armenians cannot afford winter resorts because of high prices

Excessively high accommodation rates of hotels, rest and guest houses of Armenia make the country unattractive for winter holidays. The "Caucasian Knot" learnt about it from the interpreter-guide Ovanes Karapetyan.

He expressed his bewilderment with the fact that in many boarding houses and rest homes of the most popular from the Soviet days ski resort Tsakhkadzor, as well as at other well-known resorts – Lake Sevan and Dilijan – the prices went up two- to threefold.

"Who would ever think to have his or her rest at Lake Sevan or in Tsakhkadzor, if the room accommodation rates start from 150 or 250 US dollars per day!? It turns out that New Year holidays somewhere in Egypt or Syria are cheaper," said Mr Karapetyan.

"The floor salary in the country is 100 US dollars. Given the salaries of officials of various levels ranging on the average at 100-150,000 drams per month, we see that for the vast majority of them these holidays are just unacceptable," said Asmik Sarkisyan, a teacher of one of private universities.

According to the information received by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, the accommodation rate in cottages "Alpina" in Tsakhkadzor, without meals, has went up from 35,000 to 60,000 drams, i.e., from 100 to 170 US dollars. The hotel complex "Kecharis" in Tsakhkadzor offers a double room of economy class for 40,000 drams (about 120 US dollars), and a suite – for 60,000 drams (170 US dollars) per day.

However, as the correspondent was assured at the "Alpina", despite double rates, there was no shortage of tourists during the New Year holidays. A similar situation, that is, full occupancy, was registered at a rest home in Dilijan.