Armenia is experiencing a decline in tourist activity despite expectations of an increase in visitor numbers during the autumn season, with rising holiday costs cited as one of the main reasons.

Tourism expert Vladimir Gevorgyan highlighted the trend, according to Sputnik Armenia.

Gevorgyan said that rising travel expenses are prompting more tourists to reconsider their plans and choose more affordable destinations.

Russian travelers, in particular, are increasingly opting for Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus, while interest in Armenia and Georgia has declined somewhat.

However, Gevorgyan did not rule out the possibility that visitors attending the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) could boost Armenia's official tourist arrival figures.

The conference could therefore provide a temporary lift to visitor statistics, even as higher prices continue to weigh on the country's tourism sector.