During a series of workshops held in Yerevan (Armenia) on 3-6 December 2018, participants from national authorities and a range of local B&Bs (Bed & Breakfast sites) expressed interest for Green Key
The Green Key workshops in Armenia were organised by the consultancy company, Soluton, in cooperation with the SME DNC (Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Development National Center of Armenia) under the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, and the workshops are kindly supported financially by GIZ, the German Corporation for International Cooperation “Private Sector Development and Technical Vocational Education and Training South Caucasus” Project. The Green Key International Director attended the workshops as well.
In the capital, Yerevan, most accommodations available are hotels, but accommodation in the countryside of Armenia is mainly covered by small B&Bs. Green Key in Armenia should therefore be focusing on attracting hotels as well as small accommodations to the programme.
Ahead of the workshops, surveys had been conducted among B&Bs in Armenia revealing interest for Green Key. This interest was confirmed during the workshop by the attending representatives from 11 B&Bs as well as by the Armenian B&B Association. The B&B owners stressed the importance to take local uniqueness into consideration.
Another workshop was held among national stakeholders with representatives from the public, private and NGO sector. Here it was stressed that it would be preferable to identify an Armenian NGO to be the national administrator of the Green Key programme in Armenia.
A training workshop was also held for individual trainers to facilitate the introduction of Green Key in Armenia by supporting the B&B owners with training on how to implement environmental standards at the individual businesses.
Areg Karapetyan, CEO of Solution, says: “I am happy to know the positive outcome of the workshops and Soluton will work on the next steps, including the establishment of an Armenian Green Key office and the introduction of the programme to hotels and B&Bs in Armenia.”
Finn Bolding Thomsen, Green Key International Director, adds: “It is a pleasure to be invited to Armenia to experience first-hand the welcome of Green Key as a possible suitable initiative for Armenia and the wider region. I will be looking forward to continue the cooperation.”