Moscow May Advise Russian Tourists Against Traveling to Armenia Amid Rising Tensions

During a phone conversation on August 6, Valentina Matviyenko, Speaker of the Russian Federation Council (the upper house of Russia's parliament), informed Armenia's National Assembly representative Ruben Rubinyan that Moscow might advise its citizens to refrain from visiting Armenia if the "systematic arrests" of Russians continue.

Tourism Metrics and Economic Risks

According to the Tourism Committee of Armenia, 198,709 tourists visited the country in July 2026, compared to 263,592 during the same month the previous year. The drop compared to July 2025 amounted to 64,883. During this period, 40 percent of the visitors were Russian citizens, followed by tourists from Georgia (15 percent) and Iran (8 percent).

According to economist Gagik Makaryan, a decline in the influx of Russian tourists would deal a severe blow to local small businesses, including restaurants, taxi services, and short-term apartment rentals.

"If these tourists are no longer here, follow their leadership's call, and stop visiting Armenia, small businesses will suffer," Makaryan noted.

The economist added that rapidly replacing the Russian market by attracting tourists from other countries will be challenging. High airfares and economic issues are currently affecting the mobility of European travelers, while visits from the Armenian diaspora are no longer as active as they used to be.

The Need to Diversify the Market

Tourism expert Anna Navasardyan agrees that Armenia's reliance on the Russian market is excessively high. She assessed the July decline as a wake-up call for the government to revise its marketing strategy and attract new markets.

"For Armenia, Russia is one of the most critical markets in the tourism sector... the level of dependence is very high," Navasardyan emphasized.

What Russian Citizens Think

Interviews conducted at Yerevan's Vernissage—a popular open-air market for arts and crafts—show that many Russian tourists do not plan to change their travel itineraries regardless of political statements. Tourist Vyacheslav Goren, who welcomes the policies of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, noted:

"No, I would not follow that advice. I don't see any problem."

Another young woman also assured that she would visit Armenia if she wanted to, as she feels comfortable there. Some respondents mentioned other reasons and alternative ways to visit:

• Some tourists hold dual citizenship and have friends in Armenia.
• Many emphasize that they have already visited Armenia multiple times and genuinely like the country.
• Alternative travel options, such as transit routes through Kazakhstan, are being considered.