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With a reputation for warmth and hospitality, growing air connectivity and a business-forward vision Armenia is positioning itself as an emerging MICE destination, ready to welcome more international events, meetings, forums, concerts and conferences than ever before.
The global context of mice-meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions
Business events aren’t a niche, they are a high-leverage engine for economic growth and MICE tourism. The Events Industry Council and Oxford Economics report estimate that pre-pandemic business events generated $1.15 trillion in direct spending and 10.9 million direct jobs worldwide, totaling to economic output of $2.8 trillion and 27.5 millions jobs with indirect and induced impacts.
Those numbers clarify why cities compete so fiercely for congresses and trade shows. The forward view is even stronger. Euromonitor International projects MICE tourism sales of approximately $315B in 2025 on the way to around $400B by 2029, at an 8.4% compound annual growth rate (2024–2029). By 2030, inbound MICE spend per trip is forecast around $1,760, notably higher than general business or leisure travel.
At the same time, destinations are redesigning to capture this value. Saudi Arabia, for example, is master-planning a network of 71 exhibition and convention venues with clear standards, governance and financing models. It’s a template for building capacity at speed. Jordan’s capital, Amman, similarly identified the absence of a purpose-built city-center venue as a strategic gap and launched a pre-feasibility process to fix it.
Takeaway: Dedicated MICE infrastructure is strategic economic infrastructure. It broadens a nation’s export base, accelerates knowledge transfer, increases tourism rates and strengthens global ties.
This article lays out what world-class MICE destinations get right, where Armenia already excels, what needs further development and how dedicated facilities anchored by World Trade Center Yerevan (WTCY) can multiply economic impact for years to come.
What world-class mice destinations must offer to mice stakeholders
Across mature MICE hubs like Singapore, Dubai, Madrid, Metro Manila, certain factors appear to be defining. Treat these as a universal checklist for any destination:
- Safety and security. Perception of personal safety, predictable security protocols and stable civic conditions. Low violent crime in major cities is an influential planning criterion for international associations and corporates. WTCY CEO Artashes Tonoyan remarked this balance at the World Tourism Forum: “Physical safety is the threshold, the baseline. Emotional safety is the experience, the multiplier. Travelers choose with their heads, but they return with their hearts.”
- Access and airlift. Comfortable, reliable flights with good connections. A mix of full-service and low-cost carriers and reasonable flight times from major feeder markets.
- Ease of entry, effortless visas. Simple, digitalised or visa-free entry for travelers, as well as clear and facilitated rules for conference organizers and exhibitors.
- Venues and hotels. A purpose-built congress, exhibition centers connected to mid and upscale hotels and ease of access.
- Sustainability. Energy-efficient buildings, waste reduction, clean air, smoke-free spaces, comfortable lighting, optimised shading for all occupants that let organizers ensure ESG targets.
- Government partnership. A proactive tourism body that co-bids, co-invests and co-markets with venues and the private sector.
- Global Industry Linkages. Active participation and membership in international MICE organizations like ICCA, UFI, IAPCO and similar bodies to access events, intelligence, trainings and standards.
These elements don’t just win bids, they compound benefits across hospitality, retail, transport, culture and trade.
Where Armenia stands in the global MICE landscape
Safety and security
Armenia and Yerevan in particular, are widely regarded as a safe urban destination. Numbeo’s 2025 Safety Index places Armenia among the world’s top 10 safest countries (safety index 77.9), a data point planners frequently cite when shortlisting host cities. Numbeo City-level indicators also show low crime in capital Yerevan by global urban standards.
Accessibility and flights
Air connectivity is expanding fast. In October 2025, Wizz Air opened its first base in Yerevan, stationing two A321neo aircraft and adding eight direct European routes, an important commitment that gives planners affordable capacity and frequency all year. Zvartnots International Airport (EVN) is served by a growing mix of major airlines and low-cost carriers (e.g., Austrian, LOT, Qatar Airways, flydubai, Air Arabia, Aegean, etc.). Zvartnots databases count around 70 direct destinations from EVN, covering key European and Middle Eastern hubs.
Visas and entry
Armenia runs a modern e-visa system (standard 3-day processing, providing 21 or 120 day options), with an official Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal for applications and status. In parallel, many nationalities travel visa-free under bilateral regimes. The MFA maintains the official list. Additionally, a visa-free entry for residents and citizens of Gulf countries was introduced in 2025. Moreover, in 2025 the EU reopened talks with Armenia on visa liberalization, encouraging for longer-term, two-way business mobility.
Government and industry alignment
WTCY actively collaborates with the National Tourism Committee under Armenia’s Ministry of Economy, aligning its initiatives with the country’s evolving tourism and MICE development strategy. In parallel, we are in early discussions for membership once operational, with leading global MICE associations including ICCA, UFI, IAPCO and AIPCO to gain access to international networks, qualified leads, best practices and professional training programs. Moreover, WTCY made its debut at the 64th ICCA Congress in Porto, Portugal.
Sustainability
Combined with our commitment to world-class sustainability standards (to achieve LEED Gold, WELL Gold, and/or BREEAM Excellent certification), we also target to align all operations in strict compliance with UN Sustainable Development Goals 3, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 15. These efforts firmly position WTCY as the next regional benchmark and future MICE champion of the Caucasus.
Bottom line: Armenia actively works towards meeting core MICE destination criteria, keeping it safe, simple to enter, easy to reach and improving through active internal and external collaborations.
Why dedicated MICE facilities are economic game-changers
Dedicated, city-center venues are not vanity projects, they are strategic economic infrastructures. Designed with high standards from day one, these destinations can bring Armenia on another level. The country can and should follow that path faster and smarter. Given the economic impact quantified, the urge is obvious.
The value of dedicated MICE infrastructure is best understood through practical scenarios, based on reputable benchmarks. Below will describe two scenarios for Armenia.
Euromonitor mentions an inbound MICE spend per trip of around $1,760 by 2030.
EIC/Oxford Economics’ global baseline implies roughly $105k of direct spending supports one direct job.
So, now applying cautious and rough volumes to WTCY post-opening period:
The pillars to unlock Armenia’s mice advantage
Scenario A (base): 35,000 inbound MICE visitors.
- Direct visitor spend: $61.6M (35,000 x $1,760)
- Direct jobs supported: 585 ($61.6M ÷ $105.5k)
Scenario B (stretch): 60,000 inbound MICE visitors
- Direct visitor spend: $105.6M (60,000 × $1,760)
- Direct jobs supported: 1,000 ($105.6M ÷ $105.5k)
These do not include exhibitor and organiser spending, sponsorship or domestic event spend, nor the indirect and induced effects (supply chain and household spending) that typically lift totals well above the direct baseline. Multiple UFI articles show exhibitions alone generate very large effects across hotels, F&B, logistics and retail. With a flagship venue and supportive policy, Armenia can also capture catalytic effects, such as FDI leads, research partnerships, export deals, trade shows and skills transfer.
World tourism catalyst: WTC in the heart of Yerevan
World Trade Center Yerevan is designed to become an iconic, Grade-A, net-zero mixed-use development and the cornerstone of Armenia’s future MICE infrastructure. Located in the capital's core, 150,000 sqm GBA on an 18,000 sqm footprint combining commercial, hospitality and dedicated MICE spaces. The program will include a business center, expo and event areas, conference and concert facilities, a premium 4/5 star hotel, a branded apart-hotel, retail and F&B, wellness and fitness zones all-inclusive connected campus.
WTCY’s expo and event areas, conference and concert facilities will form the core of a new national convention platform, backed by on-site hotel, premium retail and dining and a business services ecosystem. For associations, corporates, and business travelers this reduces friction, raises production values and enhances delegate experience. This is the “all-in-one” set-up international organizers favor in destinations.
- WTCY’S INDUSTRY ALIGNMENT
To turn bricks into bids, WTCY plans to participate in global platforms such as ICCA, IAPCO, AIPCO and UFI, the networks where leads, standards, and know-how circulate.
- ICCA membership provides access to 11,000 qualified association leads, the My ICCA portal for networking and data, and ICCASkills certifications (CICS/CICE), all designed to professionalize bidding and delivery.
- UFI (the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry) underpins the exhibitions pillar with research, standards and a global organizer venue network, useful as WTCY’s expo and event footprint scales.
Once the Project gets finalized and operational, and the memberships activated, WTCY can deploy structured account development, mapping top regional and European associations, sector clusters (tech, life sciences, healthcare, finance, agriculture) and diaspora convening, then co-bidding with the Tourism Committee and private professional congress organizers, destination management companies.
- WTCY POLICY ALIGNMENT
Armenia’s Tourism Committee (Ministry of Economy) has been developing a tourism strategy and infrastructure upgrades. These are essential frames for MICE destination competitiveness. Armenia’s Prime Minister’s public statements through recent years confirm a strategy update and marketing push to expand international markets, which MICE can accelerate. WTCY will align its MICE roadmap with that strategy: common KPIs, joint bids, and an ambassador program that taps Armenia’s vibrant diaspora and sector leaders to advocate for Yerevan as a host city.
The pillars to unlock Armenia’s mice advantage
Governance & Coordination:Establish a strong institutional framework by reinforcing the Tourism Committee through a dedicated MICE governance mechanism and creating the Armenia Convention Bureau as a national one-stop shop for bidding, destination marketing, international representation, and event support.
Destination Readiness & Infrastructure:
Develop a data-led destination assessment, segmenting demand by priority sectors (technology, life sciences, sustainable energy, creative industries) and key markets (EU, GCC, India). Invest in modern, standards-based venues with clear governance and financing models, positioning Yerevan as the anchor city while enabling Gyumri and Dilijan for niche and academic events.
Access, Skills & Sustainability:
Strengthen airlift and visa facilitation through coordinated airline partnerships and fast-track event travel processes. Build professional capacity via certified MICE training programs and vendor development pipelines. Embed sustainability by design, with net-zero ambitions, measurable ESG KPIs, and green event standards aligned with international expectations.
Market Positioning & Bidding Power:
Launch a unified national MICE brand supported by global sales efforts and participation in leading trade fairs. Implement structured bid playbooks using international intelligence platforms to target high-value conferences aligned with Armenia’s strengths.
Monitoring & Impact:
Track economic impact, visitor satisfaction, event retention, and international reputation to ensure adaptive, long-term success.
Closing thought: ambitious, elevated, welcoming
Armenia’s story has always been about ideas meeting perseverance. The proposition is not just new halls and a hotel tower. It’s a world-class stage where ideas, innovation and hospitality meet, designed to deliver certainty (safety and operational excellence), simplicity (flights, visas, walkability), and a story that delegates remember long after the closing plenary. By pioneering world-class MICE infrastructure in the heart of Yerevan and by welcoming the world with Armenian hospitality we can catalyze knowledge exchange, trade, investment and jobs at scale. The opportunity is real, the timing is right and the stage is being built.
