Wednesday, 13 October 2010
TATEV’S NEW WINGS
All conversations in Syunik marz, especially in Goris region, have to do with October 16 when the 15 km-long road section linking Halidzor with Tatev will turn out 3 times as shorter overnight. Everyone over there knows: they are going to have the longest cableway in the world. They are all well aware of every single detail concerning the Tatev Revival project. Moreover, each of them has its own native land development scenario. Long before the anticipated launch of the project, assisted by the staff of the National Competitiveness Fund, the residents of Tatev and surrounding communities started making preparations for the event as they believed to have a say on the occasion.
The southernmost axis of tourism: from a dream into reality
From the very outset, the National Competitiveness Fund’s vision of drawing on the tourism potential of the region met the objective set by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin for the revival of Tatev monstery by not only rehabilitating the monastic complex, but also allowing it to host trainings, symposia and seminars.
According to NCF Executive Director Bekor Papazyan, the primary task was to address the problem of site accessibility. The technology of the so called southernmost axis of tourism was developed in 2009 which implied mobilization of existing resources in parallel to the building of new infrastructures. The project was estimated to cost USD 20mn plus 10 million dollars earmarked by the government for road rehabilitation purposes. Tatev was chosen as the hub of the southernmost axis. The project was then phased as follows: upgrading roads, rehabilitating the monastic complex, giving the region a lift through harmonious development of rural communities. A series of tools may be used – overnight stay and breakfast, for example – to facilitate contact between visitors and locals.
“As a traveling destination, Tatev is now appealing tourists for only a couple of hours. After refurbishment, bed and breakfast tourists will have the possibility of being hosted in the households of Halidzor, Shinuhair where they can help themselves to local meals and dishes. Visitors seem to be more interested in enjoying countryside amenities than anything else,” Bekor Papazyan notes.
8 plain rural cottages short of modern repair and conveniences have been picked up for this purpose in Tatev.
The proceeds of cableway and hostelry-generated earnings will be supervised by a non-profit foundation to be re-used for development purposes. There are a number of landmarks featuring on the southernmost axis: Noravank Jermuk, Mozrov Cave, Karahunj, Khendzoresk. Everything will be done for proper presentation of this package.
The temptation of being initiated to a centuries-long history will make visitors change their mind and order a four-day stay instead of an anticipated four-hour tour.
By the way, this three-year project is the most outstanding initiative of the NCF. The Fund is a non-governmental organization, based on a public-private sector cooperation scheme. It seeks to uplift Armenia’s competitiveness by means of breakthrough development of key sectors of economy. The NCF is headed by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.
Small-scale revolutions in community life
Strong with some 550 households, Shinuhair is the largest village of Syunik marz. A rubber-shoe factory of about 800 jobs used to be in place as early as in the Soviet era. In addition to farming and animal husbandry, local inhabitants are currently employed in road building activities: a road section leading to Halidzor will be completed by mid-October with the help of local youth.
Smbat, the head of Shinuhair village council, said to have been getting calls from fellow villagers now staying away who are asking if there is such a great agitation in the native village.
Community head Yeremyan hopes that the problem of water supply would be addressed under the Tatev Revival project. The present day has changed in Shinuhair, and what about the future…? Village mayor Smbat is convinced that his village will know better days with the commissioning of the aerial tramway: an inn is due to be built in the village, and its inhabitants will be able to sell their produce to foreign visitors.
Halidzor which hosted David Beck’s freedom fight is as animated and exciting as Shinuhair. During the day, nobody can be found idle in this village. Community head Samvel Asiryan states with concealed pride that the youth are busy working on the cableway and road building sites. The project changed everything in the life of his village. It is already settled that all would-be visitors will be given a good village-like treating in addition to being taken to the ”old village” and “Harants desert”. One in the village, the National Competitiveness Fund experts found out that either the tiny Halidzor could have a well-merited place in the investment project. The locals will be allotted small sales outlets along the road leading to Halidzor with the housewives expected to get engaged in culinary activities.
While this 3-year project has just kicked off, it has already managed to revolve life in target communities. Therefore, the project is earnestly hoped to prevent young people from leaving their native land.
From cableway to highway
The idea of the world’s longest cableway was at the heart of the Tatev Revival project. The Switzerland-based Garaventa Ltd., a leading entity in this field, was entrusted with the implementation of the cableway project. The 5.7 km-long “delight,” named so by the locals for its exceptional beauty, is supposed to add relish to travelers’ impressions from the Vorotan gorge and the monastic complex. The launch of the aerial tramway is in the air, and the national competitiveness fund has initiated a large-scale advertising campaign via Euronews and CNN TV channels. The opening ceremony will be attended by representatives from 24 foreign media outlets.
People in Tatev have a single concern: Ann who is the project information center’s coordinator has been told repeatedly by the locals that they seemed unlikely to afford enjoying cableway services. This is why they are just hopeful about the road rehabilitation activity. Fund officials have reassured them of a possibly favorable outcome of the ongoing negotiations with the operator.
As far the road is concerned, it is being upgraded with up-to-date technology. The Halidzor-Tatev 15 km-long section is the “stumbling-stone” as it needs applying innovative approaches so as to get safer and fit for traffic. USD 10mn was earmarked by the government to rehabilitate the Sisian-Tatev road section.
“Armenians used to have a monopoly in vegetable oil industry…,” the visitors of Tatev oil-refinery risk to be told on the spot.
Tatev monastic complex visitors are sure to grow in number as a local vegetable oil refinery will be commissioned next fall. 285 such facilities are said to have been operational in Armenia as early as in mid-19th century, of which 35 were active producing some 240 tons of vegetable oil a year. Tatev’s facility stands out for both its unique design and size. Formerly it used to meet the demand of all surrounding communities. It is structured round a dome-shaped hub hosting the roasting-room and a grinder. There used to be an outbuilding with two separate rooms which served as a refinery and had earthenware pots inside with a capacity of 70 liters each. Oil was extracted from the seeds of flax and “karahunj.” The NCF is intent on reinstating the refinery completely in pursuit of the following rationale: as the successors of such an outstanding legacy, we are bound of duty to have at least one such refinery operational in Armenia. Tourists will likewise be told that in the 19th century there used to be 3 to 4 times as many oil distilleries in Armenia as in neighboring Georgia and Azerbaijan all together. All the facilities of Georgia and Azerbaijan were owned by Armenians who used to have a monopoly in vegetable oil industry.
All the roads lead to Tatev…
According to “Syunik Region” newspaper, there is a good, funny story about an inhabitant of Sinuhair who covered 17 kilometers to get to Goris, sell a bucket of blackberries in order to go back home in a taxi with his hand leaned against the window in a stylish manner. Yet, the tradition was consigned to oblivion not at all because those from Shinuhair no longer feel like fetching blackberries in the forest or have lost their liking to vanity, but rather because all the local taxi drivers have until recently been reluctant to ride to the village due to the poor state of the road. But things stand otherwise now as road building activities are in full swing on the road section which links Shinuahir to Halidzor and Tatev: people in Shinuhair community are convinced that they are going to enjoy a good lift to and from the village soon.
Tatev is getting new wings for flight. Those in charge of the project are driven by the only motivation of keeping it up for ever.
