In recent years, tourism has become one of the “points of growth” of the national economy, which, as a driver of the development of other related industries, stimulates income growth with a high multiplier effect.
Over 3 years, the number of tourists has grown 5 times: 1.3 million foreign tourists in 2016, 6.7 million in 2019. Due to the pandemic, 1.5 million foreign tourists managed to visit in 2020, while the export of tourism services amounted to $ 261 million, and tourism has become one of the most affected industries. A total of 1.7 million tourists are expected in 2021. As expected, the export of tourism services is expected to reach $ 370 million.
It should be noted that the pandemic has seriously affected the tourism sector and related industries, the incomes of more than a hundred thousand people have sharply decreased, including guides, artisans, workers of architectural monuments and resort institutions, catering facilities, transport and others.
