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On the occasion of the “The Overland Dialogue” event co-organized by Travellive and Land Rover Vietnam on the afternoon of June 26th in Hanoi, Travellive had an interview with Mr. Suren Baghdasaryan, Ambassador of Armenia to Vietnam, about the beauty of Armenia, its potential to attract Vietnamese tourists, and the prospects for cooperation between the two countries.
* Travellive: For many Vietnamese travelers, Armenia remains a "hidden gem." If you only had one minute to inspire a traveler to visit Armenia, what story about your country would you tell?
Ambassador Suren Baghdasaryan:First of all, I would like to thank Land Rover Vietnam and Travellive magazine for organizing this wonderful event and for inviting me to participate in the interview.
Armenia is a country with a long history, ancient monuments, monasteries, and stunning landscapes and mountains. Therefore, I think each journey can tell a unique story for each traveler.
Ambassador Suren Baghdasaryan of Armenia to Vietnam, at the “The Overland Dialogue” event co-organized by Travellive and Land Rover Vietnam on the afternoon of June 26 in Hanoi.
If I had to suggest two routes, I'd personally recommend them. One is the area near Yerevan, featuring Lake Sevan – a stunning high-altitude lake – along with the Hellenistic Garni Temple and the Geghard Monastery, carved deep into the rock face.
The second route includes the Tatev Monastery and the Tatev Wings cable car – one of the highest and longest cable car systems in the world – along with a panoramic view of the entire Syunik region in southern Armenia. This will be a memorable adventure for any traveler.
The first route suggested by the Ambassador includes Lake Sevan - a stunning high-altitude lake.
Geghard Monastery
and the Garni temple
* Having welcomed visitors from all over the world, what do you think are the most common misconceptions people have about Armenia before visiting? And what usually surprises them most after experiencing the country firsthand?
For most tourists, Armenia is a relatively unfamiliar name, and sometimes they think it's unsafe because it's located in a sensitive conflict zone. But surprisingly, upon arriving in Armenia, they realize the country is very safe, especially for tourists. You can walk around any city or village in Armenia at 3 a.m. and still feel safe knowing nothing will happen to you.
Besides that, Armenia is a hospitable country and always welcomes tourists. There, you can find many interesting experiences. I believe that after setting foot in Armenia, many people will realize that it is truly a destination worth exploring.
The second route is the Tatev Monastery.
Syunik region
and the Tatev Wings cable car line
* Today's event celebrates the spirit of exploration and experience. In an increasingly fast-paced world, what, in your opinion, can Armenia offer travelers seeking a deeper, more meaningful way to experience life and travel?
Armenia offers an authentic experience, because it's not simply a city tour, as is often the case in many European countries. In this respect, we have many similarities with Vietnam.
We offer an authentic experience, a glimpse into historical traditions, and the flavors of long-standing traditional cuisine – which is also a very important part of tourism exchange. Therefore, I think Armenia would be a very interesting destination for Vietnamese tourists.
* What are Armenia's priorities and plans to attract more Vietnamese tourists to explore the country? Besides tourism, what opportunities do you see to strengthen economic and trade cooperation between Armenia and Vietnam?
My goal as Ambassador to Vietnam is to promote the number of Vietnamese tourists visiting Armenia through tourism promotion activities and people-to-people exchanges. Besides tourism, I see great potential for cooperation in areas such as information technology, high-tech trade and investment, and education, especially technical and technological education, which would be a good driving force for cooperation between the two countries.
That is precisely the purpose of events like this, and I hope that in the future we will create more favorable conditions for tourists to come to Armenia, for example, by waiving visa requirements for holders of ordinary passports.
We will also strive to make travel and transportation connections between the two countries easier; for example, we are in negotiations with Vietnamese airlines about the possibility of opening direct flights, or at least charter flights, between the two countries.
I think today's event is very important in further strengthening the relationship between Vietnam and Armenia, and I hope it will have a great impact on promoting tourism and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador!
