YEREVAN. – Having a national air carrier is not that important for small countries, tourism expert Michael Wukoschitz said during a two-day workshop on held in Yerevan.

Yerevan is hosting a workshop titled “Harmonization and Issues in European Travel and Tourism Law: Lessons for Armenia” which is organized by International Forum of Travel and Tourism Advocates (IFTTA).

IFTTA President Michael Wukoschitz believes making investments to promote tourism is more profitable than restoring of a national air carrier. He said Austria has given up the idea of having national air carrier replacing it by private company Lufthansa, without giving it any preferences.

In his turn, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern noted that the Armenian government has to decide on having national air carrier, taking into account complicated regional situation. He also brought an example of the Beirut airport which continued accepting planes during the civil war.