A total of 487,900 tourists visited Armenia in Jan.-Sept. 2010, which exceeds last year’s indicator by 15.6%, Mekhak Apresyan, head of tourism and economic development department at the Armenian Economy Ministry, told the journalists today. By the end of 2010 the number of tourists is expected to exceed 600,000.

Armenia is mainly visited from Russia and Georgia, a considerable number of tourists come from the EU and U.S., as well as Iran. According to Apresyan, the number of Iranian tourists doubled within recent 9 months.

Mekhak Apresyan stressed that 7% growth was registered in tourism sector in Jan.-August throughout the world and 5% growth is expected by the year end.