Hundreds of tourists visit the Ayrarat guesthouse in the Vayots Dzor village of Artabuynk in order to see the Smbataberd fortress, sitting 2000 meters high on a hill opposite.
The owner Karen Karamyan has turned his ancestral home, where three generations of his family had been raised, into a bed-and-breakfast.The project was supported by the European Union and the Arevadzor programme for renewable energy and ecotourism in Vayots Dzor.
Just six years ago, Karen lived and worked in Abkhazia, but then a moment arrived when he realized that he wanted to return to his homeland and be a part of the country’s development. Karen believes that village tourism helps develop the standard of living in the community.
“We’re on Google Maps as well as Booking.com, we work with travel agencies and are a member of the Armenian B&B Association. Our guests come from a variety of locations, from China to the USA. They come for both a relaxing holiday as well as more rigorous outdoor activities.
