NATURAL BIODIVERSITY OF ARMENIA AND TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS

Objective: The aim of the study is to reveal the huge, yet underused tourist potential of natural monuments and formations of Armenia. Theoretical framework: It is shown that, despite its small territory, Armenia is characterized by an exceptionally large geo- and biodiversity and richness of abiotic and biotic natural objects, most of which have not yet been certified. Method: The methodology is based on a comparative analysis of tourist attractiveness and statistical data on visits to natural objects of predominantly abiotic nature in Armenia and some developed countries. Results and discussion: It is revealed that in terms of their tourist attractiveness and uniqueness, geological monuments of Armenia significantly surpass biotic objects. However, in terms of tourist attendance, they are inferior to the cultural heritage sites of the country. Even the most visited geological monument Symphony of Stones (30,000 visits per year) is significantly inferior in this indicator to similar monuments in the USA, Scotland and Ireland. Research Implications: Among natural tourist attractions, biological sites are significantly inferior to geological heritage sites; however, both are involved in tourist routes to a small extent. To eliminate this imbalance, it is necessary to develop infrastructure, advertising, branding and include some monuments of Armenia in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Originality/Value: The study is the first attempt to systematize and compares the tourist attractiveness of natural monuments of Armenia, focusing on the underestimated potential of geological sites compared to biological and cultural attractions. The work emphasizes the imbalance between the high natural uniqueness of the country and the low level of excursion involvement, offering a set of measures for their development.