Diagnosis of Tourism Enhancement of the UNESCO World Heritage Ensemble of Apostolic Churches of Armenia

Armenia's UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin, exhibit significant but underutilized tourism potential. Despite their historical significance (dating back to the 4th century), spiritual relevance, and architectural uniqueness, some sites experience low public visitation. This study, pioneering in Armenia, diagnoses the current state of these sites through observational fieldwork, bibliographic review, and heritage inventory preparation. It evaluates both tourism appeal and intrinsic values using technical criteria, revealing that the Monastery of Geghard and the Cathedral of Echmiatsin stand out due to their accessibility, conservation status, and attractiveness. The research proposes heritage enhancement tools to improve physical and intellectual access, aiming to boost sustainable tourism while preserving these cultural treasures.

Sanasaryan, A., & Viñals, M. J. (2020). DIAGNOSIS OF TOURISM ENHANCEMENT OF THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE ENSEMBLE OF APOSTOLIC CHURCHES OF ARMENIA. The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, XLIV-M-1-2020, 551–557. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-xliv-m-1-2020-551-2020