Van businessmen, who were expecting to earn large sums of cash during the liturgy in the Armenian Church, Surb Khach on Akhtamar Island, have suffered significant losses due to a decision by the Turkish authorities not to place a cross on the dome of the church.

A number of entrepreneurs from Van told NEWS.am that they were disappointed by the latest developments connected with Surb Khach Church, in particular, by the authorities' decision not to mount a cross before the liturgy, as they have made significant investments expecting a large number of Armenian visitors.

Regarding hotel bookings, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of Van Zahir Kandashoglu noted that 90% of people who expressed a desire to visit Van canceled their reservations after they learned about the decision not to place the cross atop the dome.