According to the Consular Service of the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, more than 3000 foreigners visited the Nagorno Karabakh in the first half of 2011, a 49 per cent increase as compared to the same period of 2010. Despite the obstacles created by the authorities of Azerbaijan and declaring foreign nationals visiting Nagorno Karabakh "persona non grata", the world continues to show increasing interest in Artsakh. Compared to the same period of the previous year, the first half of 2010 was also marked by a significant 45 per cent increase in tourist numbers.
Among the visitors to Artsakh are tourists from the United States, France, Iran, Great Britain, Holland, Switzerland, Canada, Italy, Poland, Russia and other CIS countries. The geography of tourists also continues to expand. Recently, Artsakh has been increasingly visited by tourists from Japan, China, Singapore, Brazil, Venezuela, Israel, New Zealand, India, Côte d'Ivoire and other countries.
Tourists are attracted not only by the ancient historical monuments, the magnificent nature and picturesque canyons, the healthy environment, mineral and hot springs, but also by the friendliness and hospitality of the people of Artsakh and the original Karabakh cuisine. Additional attractions include the monastery complexes of Gandzasar (XIII century), Amaras (IV century) and Dadivank (IV century), the excavation site of the ancient city of Tigranakert, the Azokh cave, Nikol Duman's House-Museum, as well as a number of ancient Armenian fortresses.
The opening of the airport in Stepanakert will also greatly facilitate the development of tourism in Artsakh.
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