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29 Feb 2008
www.armradio.am, February 29
Playing with white pieces, Armenian Grand Master Levon Aronyan defeated Vesselin Topalov of Bulgaria in the 8th round of the Morelia-Linares International Chess Tournament held in Linares (Spain).
Gaining 4.5 points, Aronyan currently shares the 2nd and 3rd places with Magnus Carlsen of Norway.
In Round 8 Wishvanathan Anand (India) defeated Alexey Shirov of Spain, Teymur Rajabov of Azerbaijan played a draw with Peter Leco of Hungary.
Wishvanatan Anand is currently leading with 5.5 points.
28 Feb 2008
ARKA, February 28
Armenia is to take part in CeBIT exhibition on March 4 to 9 in Hanover, Germany.
Armenia will be represented at the exhibition by three companies-Sorsio, TX Systems, Hay City. Representatives of UITE and Armenian Trade and Economic Development Ministry will take part in the event.
Armenian government, UITE and USAID program provide support to the exhibition. CeBIT-is the world largest exhibition on information technologies, telecommunications, software and services.
Over 6000 manufacturer firms from more than 70 countries will expose the latest achievements.
The exhibition consists of six thematic sectors - business processes, communications, digital equipment and systems, banking technologies and finances, Park of the future and Public Sector Park. Each of these sectors is the world leading exhibition in its area.
28 Feb 2008
www.caps.am, February 28
Nine individuals from Dilijan were, today, officially certified as professional tourist guides according to the standards of the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA). The training and certification, aimed at developing hiking trail guide skills within the Dilijan tourism community, were organized by the Armenian Guides Guild (AGG) and Dilijan National Park (DNP) and supported by the USAID-funded Competitive Armenian Private Sector Project (CAPS).
"Dilijan National Park is going to employ all nine guides to accompany tourists on the hiking trails as well as in museums. I strongly believe that the professional guidance of these nine young individuals will not leave the tourists disappointed." Ashot Davtyan said in his opening remarks and added: "CAPS came to offer its assistance when Dilijan National Park was making its first steps towards its recovery. The guides’ training program is only part of the DNP improvement plan. Currently with CAPS assistance we are working on the development of hiking trails as well as the publishing of a DNP guidebook, which will be provided to organizations involved in the tourism development of our country."
In the framework of the ten-day theoretical and practical course, 13 individuals, identified by the DNP and Dilijan Employment Centre, were instructed on communication, presentation, leadership, first aid, and other skills and disciplines that professional guides require. Nine participants passed the final exam and received certification for leading tours on the hiking trails that are currently being developed or improved as well as in local museums.
"The training of local tourist and trail guides continues CAPS support to tourism development and employment growth in and around Dilijan," commented Alan Saffery, CAPS Senior Competitiveness Expert. "We see Dilijan as an important tourist hub, particularly with recent infrastructure improvements, and believe that improvements in services as well as facilities will draw people out from Yerevan," he said.
The guides’ certification course is part of a DNP development program, undertaken by CAPS, to catalyze tourism development in the region through implementation of tourism-focused business capacity strengthening, workforce development and tourism infrastructure enhancements.
Despite its picturesque scenery and over 1000 species of flora and fauna, numerous historical-architectural monuments and archeological sites, the National Park still has significant work ahead of them to offer visitors a high quality experience. A lack of investment in the preservation of natural resources evidenced by the absence of necessary facilities (garbage bins, specified camping areas, guiding or warning signs, professional guidance etc.) have made the area inappropriate for ecotourism, a popular tourism product.
Therefore, in 2007, the DNP commenced improvements to hiking trails, in accordance with the 2007 Dilijan National Park Management Plan. Last year, two trails were developed by the DNP including clearing and installing directional signs. This year, under the framework of the Dilijan development project, CAPS will assist in the development of two more hiking trails for the National Park. The two trails are - from Dilijan town to Parz Lake (10 km) and from Parz Lake to Goshavank Monastery (8 km). Initial steps of development are already being undertaken. The main activities will be started at the end of March, including clearing and improving the trails; installing directional and information signs throughout the length of the trails; and designing and constructing one picnic spot for each trail.
"It is important that Dilijan is presented to tourists by local people because they know their region best of all. Special thanks to the CAPS project for implementing programs directed at tourism development in the country", Svetlana Sargsyan, AGG President, said
25 Feb 2008
www.esctoday.com, Netherlands, Feb. 25
Sirusho, the twenty year old Armenian chosen to represent her country in their third was voted as Best Female Singer of the year 2007 in the prestigious Armenian Music Awards earlier this month. Sirusho will be selecting her song for Belgrade on the 8th of March from a selection of four songs.
After Sirusho was internally selected by ARMTV to represent the country in Belgrade, a call for songs was launched and 10 songs in total were submitted by invited composers. Four of them have been chosen, according to Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Armenian Public Television Diana Mnatsakanyan.
Sirusho has written the lyrics to all songs herself. The names of the composers, though, will be revealed only after the song for Belgrade has been chosen.
21 Feb 2008
Armenpress, February 21
Levon Aronian of Armenia and Alexei Shirov of Spain drew in just 18 moves of an English Opening in the fifth round of the Morelia-Linares Grandmasters chess tournament in Mexico.
Viswanathan Anand of India beat Peter Leko of Hungary to register his third successive win. The win late Wednesday also put him in sole lead after five rounds of the category 21 tournament, which is played in two legs, in Mexico and Linares in Spain.
The world champion has now won all three games with black while with white he has lost one and drawn another. Now Anand is in the lead with 3.5 points and Levon Aronian is in second place with three.
Points after fifth round: Anand (3.5); Aronian (3); Shirov, Carlsen and Topalov (2.5); Radjabov, Leko and Ivanchuk (2).
18 Feb 2008
Armenpress, February 18
Armenian government expects some $2.7 billion to be invested in tourism industry development between 2008 and 2020. These figures are spelled out in the government- designed tourism development strategy.
By 2020 the number of foreign tourists are expected to soar to 1.5 million annually, while the overall income is supposed to reach $1.35 billion. Last year about 500,000 tourists visited Armenia, the majority were Diaspora Armenians.
These numbers were declared by trade and economic development minister Nerses Yeritsian at a business conference last weekend in Tsakhkadzor.
15 Feb 2008
Azg Daily, February 15
Armenian prominent composer Aram Khachatrian's music was performed
in a concert in Moscow dedicated to the composer's 105th anniversary
of birth.
It is informed that the audience welcomed with enthusiasm the famous
pianist, Rector of Moscow Conservatory Tigran Alikhanov and the
performance of Armenian Youth Band conducted by Sergey Smbatian. In the
Big Hall on Bolshaya Nikitskaya street were performed the composer's
Piano Concert and parts from "Spartak" and "Gayane" ballets.
The concert was organized by Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Embassy
of the Republic of Armenia and Yerevan Komitas Conservatory.
07 Feb 2008
www.arminfo.am, January 7
Armavia air company is preparing to introduce an electronic ticket system. Armavia has already made all necessary preparations and is waiting for the Russian airports. E-ticket practice is widely accepted In Europe.
Starting from March-April, 2008 it will be possible to buy tickets from any part of the world. The system of electronic tickets has been prepared over two years ago. The introduction of the mentioned system will increase passenger channel of "Armavia" company. It is also planned to increase the frequency of the flights.
07 Feb 2008
www.arminfo.am, February 7
"Armavia" company considers two directions of air transportation to the USA.The variants of Yerevan-Amsterdam - Los-Angeles and Yerevan-New York-Los Angeles flights are under consideration.
All the preparation works for implementing the first flights to the USA are already accomplished with the exception of some documents. For implementing of the flights to the USA, Armenia and the USA must sign the "Open Sky" agreement. At the moment, the document is almost ready for signing. ”Armavia’’ company has already rented a wide-body aircraft Boeing-767 in Great Britain, which is meant for medium and long distance flights. The aircraft was put into operation in 2000. Flights to the United States will be carried out twice a week, afterwards - thrice a week. According to company, ticket price will not exceed the tariffs offered for flights through Moscow or Paris.
06 Feb 2008
ARMENPRESS, February 6
An Armenian baritone singer Gevork Hakobian has qualified for the final of an international competition in Moscow dedicated to famous baritone opera singer Pavel Lisitsian.
Other qualifiers are Roman Burdenko and Alexei Shishlyar from Russia and Liam Bonner from the USA.Thirty-seven singers from 13 countries participated in the first and second rounds of the competition.
Pavel Lisitsian was an outstanding Soviet baritone opera singer who performed in the Bolshoi Opera, Moscow from 1940 until his retirement from stage in 1966. He sang at La Scala, at the Metropolitan Opera and in many other European opera houses. As a recitalist he traveled more than 30 countries, including Indonesia, Austria, Sweden and Japan. Pavel Lisitsian was honored many times and received the title “People’s Artist of the USSR.”
05 Feb 2008
www.panorama.am, February 5
The ministry of culture announced that by the decision of RA Government 19 cultural items can not be taken from RA territory. Carriage of Ltchashen, the door of Msho Apostolic church, and the record of Yerevan foundation are kept in the museum of History, the other items are kept in Matenadaran. Other cultural items are allowed to be taken abroad temporary. Cultural items with the author’s signature, which is 50 years old or less, could be taken away without any process. |
