In past four years the world's longest ropeway in Tatev has carried 250,000 people. The 250,000th passengers, Mary Hovhannisyan was carried on Wednesday. The managers of the ropeway had a surprise for the lucky - she will be able to use the ropeway free of charge during one year.
Director of the Revival of Tatev program Aren Apinyan said that this is just the start of the program. "In the near future we are planning to create new infrastructures in Tatev so as to attract more tourists. All the earnings are being spent on the restoration of the Tatev Monastery and the development of the local community," Apinyan said.
Director of IdeA Foundation Artak Melkonyan said that they are planning to organize festivals and other events so as to stimulate crafts and agriculture in Tatev.
"The restoration of the Tatev Monastery is near completion. So, we hope that by the end of this year the number of tourists will exceed 300,000," Melkonyan said.
The Tatev ropeway spans 5.7 km over the gorge of Vorotan River. It connects the villages of Alidzor and Tatev. Each cabin has 25 seats, moves at a speed of 37 km and needs just 11 minutes to carry its passengers from one point to the other. The ropeway was inaugurated in Oct 2010.
IdeA Foundation is supposed to stimulate socially-oriented business in Armenia. Among its programs are UWC Dilijan, Revival of Tatev, Dilijan Development Fund and the project to restore St. Gevorg Church in Tbilisi.