Unveiling the Amazing Sights of Armenia - A Nation Situated at the Heart of the World
The Transcaucasian Trail in Armenia: A Catalyst for Sustainable Rural Development
The Transcaucasian Trail (TCT) in Armenia, a 514-mile long-distance hiking route launched earlier this year, is making significant strides towards completion. Volunteers and contributors are actively involved in trail building and maintenance, creating an exciting hiking experience across Armenia's diverse landscapes.
The TCT is not just a hiking route; it is an emerging catalyst for sustainable rural development, particularly in terms of ecotourism. According to Ardag Kosian, executive director of HIKE Armenia, ecotourism is a promising means to support rural development in Armenia.
The TCT contributes to rural development and ecotourism in several ways:
- Boosting Economic Activity: The trail encourages economic activity in remote villages by attracting visitors who spend on local accommodations, food, guides, and crafts.
- Community Involvement: The TCT offers a platform for community involvement in tourism, providing villagers with alternative income sources beyond traditional agriculture.
- Environmentally Responsible Travel: The trail promotes environmentally responsible travel that focuses on nature conservation and cultural heritage preservation, aligning with ecotourism principles.
- Global Visibility: The TCT enhances Armenia's visibility on the global ecotourism map, attracting hikers and nature lovers seeking unique and less crowded trekking destinations.
Armenia's neighbour, Georgia, has already completed 84 miles of its TCT, and Azerbaijan is starting trail development with $10,000 in government funding. The TCT has fostered a burgeoning outdoors movement within Armenia, with local trail clubs helping maintain the route.
The TCT offers a glimpse of what's to come for the greater TCT, providing a taste of Armenia's history and landscapes. It winds through cloud-hugging pastures, ancient monasteries, stone villages, and crumbling caravanserais. The trail passes through dense oak and hornbeam forests, volcanic domes, and the emerald depths of Vorotan Canyon.
Old Martiros, an ancient village along the TCT, attracts tourists with trails out to lakes, traditional Armenian cross-stones, and a rock-hewn church carved into the mountainside. Travelers can buy local products such as dried stone fruits, gata pastries, and wine.
HIKEArmenia, an NGO focused on assisting rural communities, has been instrumental in disseminating trekking intelligence through its website, app, and information center in downtown Yerevan. Garnik Gevorgyan, a local resident, built a campsite along the TCT in 2018, inspired by tourists seeking lodgings and meals in his village, Artavan.
The TCT also offers the possibility of encounters with Syrian brown bears, gray wolves, and the recent return of the Caucasian leopard. The trail, designed by Tom Allen, a British adventurer, in collaboration with HIKEArmenia and Trails for Change, is expected to draw around 100 through-hikers this year, attracting more "soft adventure" travel.
Visitations to Armenia have increased by 15 percent each year from 2010 to 2020 due to recent campaigns to promote Armenia and fund improvements to its tourism offerings. With its rich history, diverse landscapes, and the TCT, Armenia is an exciting destination for ecotourism and adventure seekers alike.
- The Transcaucasian Trail (TCT) in Armenia, with its diverse landscapes, attracts travelers seeking unique ecotourism experiences, ranging from cloud-hugging pastures to dense oak and hornbeam forests.
- The TCT encourages economic activity in remote villages, providing an opportunity for cultural-travel enthusiasts to spend on local accommodations, food, guides, and crafts, thereby supporting rural development.
- While hiking the TCT, adventure-seekers may encounter Syrian brown bears, gray wolves, and the rare Caucasian leopard, offering a glimpse into the region's wildlife.
- The TCT serves as a platform for community involvement in tourism, providing villagers with alternative income sources beyond traditional agriculture, aligning with the sustainable rural development and lifestyle goals.
- The success of the TCT has the potential to extend beyond Armenia, as its neighbors, such as Georgia and Azerbaijan, are developing their own sections of the trail, fostering a larger Transcaucasian outdoors movement.
