Regional Post asked the Founders of EventToura agency, Mary Badalyan and Nune Manukyan how Yerevan Wine Days transformed from a single-street festival into Armenia’s most successful case study in sustainable event tourism, proving that ancient wine traditions and modern environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.
Interview : Margarit Mirzoyan
Photo : EventToura
To start, could you give us an overview of how EventToura views its role in promoting sustainable practices within Armenia’s events industry, particularly through flagship events like Yerevan Wine Days?
— EventToura sees itself not just as an event organizer, but as a catalyst for responsible and sustainable tourism development in Armenia. Our flagship initiative, Yerevan Wine Days, goes far beyond being a celebration of Armenian wine—it serves as a vibrant platform that actively promotes sustainable economic, cultural, and environmental practices within the events and tourism sectors. At the heart of our approach is the involvement of local producers, partners, wineries, and food vendors. By giving them direct access to thousands of local and international visitors, we help strengthen small businesses and ensure that economic benefits remain within local communities.
The number of participating wineries by year
2017 – 25 wineries
2018 – 35 wineries
2019 – 40 wineries
2021 – more than 40 wineries
2022 – more than 50 wineries
2023 – 70 wineries
2024 – over 80 wineries
2025 – up to 100 wineries
This inclusive model supports the long-term vitality of Armenia’s tourism landscape. We promote eco-conscious choices through the use of reusable wine glasses and sustainably produced merchandise such as scarves and t-shirts. The use of plastic is strictly prohibited during the event, and visitors are encouraged to bring their branded glassware from previous years, helping to avoid unnecessary waste. As a result, we save approximately 100,000 plastic cups annually.
EventToura actively collaborates with municipal authorities, international organizations, and sponsors with a focus on sustainability to align with broader environmental and tourism goals. We also partner with educational institutions, NGOs, and volunteer groups to create meaningful opportunities for youth and women to engage in the planning and execution of the festival, empowering the next generation of leaders in the cultural and events sectors. Through Yerevan Wine Days, we aim to set a benchmark for how events in Armenia can be both high-impact and low-footprint. It is our living case study—a dynamic example of how cultural celebration can harmoniously intersect with sustainability, community empowerment, and responsible tourism.
Looking at the broader impact, how do you see events like Yerevan Wine Days contributing to Armenia’s tourism and economic development goals?
— The main goal of the Yerevan Wine Days festival is to develop event tourism in Armenia. Unlike traditional tourism, event tourism provides a specific reason to visit and creates a strong emotional connection that motivates travelers to return to the country. The festival has become one of the driving forces of event tourism in Armenia, attracting thousands of international visitors each year from all over the world. Surveys conducted during the event indicate that a significant portion of tourists travel to Armenia specifically to attend Yerevan Wine Days.
The event takes place annually on the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of June, allowing international tour operators to plan their travel packages well in advance, positioning Yerevan Wine Days as a key attraction for visiting Armenia. Tourists who travel to Armenia to attend the festival typically stay in the country for an average of 3 to 5 days. According to estimates, their total spending amounts to around 25 million USD, generating a significant economic impact on the national budget. These expenditures include not only purchases made during the festival but also accommodation, food, transportation, excursions, and cultural experiences, creating a broad and integrated effect across the entire tourism value chain.
How has Yerevan Wine Days evolved since its inception, and what changes have you observed in Armenia’s wine industry during these years? What are your main goals for the festival’s future development?
— Yerevan Wine Days was launched in 2017 on Saryan Street, and in its very first year, it welcomed around 25 winemakers and 25,000 visitors. Since 2017, the event has expanded year by year, increasing the number of participating wineries, partners, and attendees.The festival has breathed new life into Armenian winemaking. Since the launch of the event, the number of vineyards has increased, wine production has grown, both traditional and emerging wineries have developed, and product quality has significantly improved. Wine exports have noticeably risen, especially thanks to B2B meetings held within the framework of the festival, which have fostered cooperation between local producers and international partners. Armenian wine’s global recognition has also grown, highlighting both the country’s historical heritage—such as the 6,100-year-old winemaking evidence from the Areni-1 cave—and the uniqueness of indigenous grape varieties.
Can you walk us through your waste management system for Yerevan Wine Days? What specific targets have you set for Yerevan Wine Days in this regard, and what happens to glass, organic waste, and other materials generated during the event?
— Sustainability is one of the core values of Yerevan Wine Days, and our waste management system is designed to minimize the environmental impact of such a large-scale urban event. One of the main elements of our sustainability strategy is the use of reusable wine glasses. The official glass of each edition of the Yerevan Wine Days festival can be used in subsequent years, significantly reducing the need for single-use cups. In 2024 alone, during the 3-day festival, more than 40,000 visitors used reusable glasses. Another key focus area is reducing food waste. In this regard, we closely collaborate with participating restaurants to encourage more responsible food practices.
The restaurants work with us to use only fresh ingredients and prepare food on-site, based on real-time demand. This approach helps prevent overproduction and unnecessary waste. Additionally, the paper tickets included in our “Wine Enjoyment Package” are also subject to recycling. During the 2024 edition of the festival, nearly 1,000 kg of paper tickets were sent for recycling, contributing to environmental protection and the advancement of sustainable development goals.
What social impact initiatives has EventToura implemented through its events? For instance, how do you support local communities, vulnerable groups, create employment opportunities, or preserve wine-making traditions?
— The event is large-scale and encompasses numerous components, including support for local communities, the creation of opportunities for vulnerable groups, the promotion of local production, and the generation of new employment opportunities. The festival also collaborates with charitable and civil society organizations, providing a platform for awareness campaigns and social initiatives. Every year, several NGOs participate in the event, raising awareness of important issues through direct engagement with thousands of attendees.
In 2024, we partnered with organizations supporting women with breast cancer, providing care for children with epilepsy and other complex neurological conditions, and addressing challenges faced by children in border communities. These partnerships reflect the festival’s commitment to social responsibility and contribute to inclusive community development. The festival also hosted the “Taste of Artsakh” initiative, whose mission is to preserve and share the traditional flavors and cultural identity of Artsakh. Notably, women from Artsakh prepared the beloved zhengyalov hats (herb-stuffed flatbread) for the event, which became one of the most memorable and unique flavor pairings with Armenian wines.
Can you describe your partnerships with local suppliers and producers? How do these relationships contribute to both the local economy and sustainable event practices?
—The Yerevan Wine Days festival would not be possible without effective collaboration with local suppliers and producers. These partnerships serve not only as a foundation for the festival’s success but also as a strategic tool for economic development and sustainable event management. Winemakers from all regions of Armenia participate in the festival—including Vayots Dzor, Tavush, Aragatsotn, and Artsakh—with particular emphasis on supporting small and medium-sized wineries. The festival offers producers the opportunity to present their work to over 180,000 visitors, including international partners and tourists. This exposure fosters both immediate sales and long-term collaborations.
We don’t just sign contracts with our producers—we build lasting partnerships. Many of our partners have grown alongside the festival, improving their services and expanding their customer base year after year. After the event, we consistently conduct surveys, organize meetings, and collect feedback to encourage mutual growth and innovation. The cooperation between the Yerevan Wine Days festival and local producers and suppliers stands as a prime example of economic inclusion and sustainability. By rooting our activities in local communities, we not only create an authentic and captivating festival experience but also foster success that reaches from one community to another.
How does wine production and winemaking affect different regions of Armenia, and what initiatives is EventToura undertaking in these regions beyond the main festival to support sustainable development?
— Wine production and winemaking have a multifaceted impact on various regions of Armenia—economically, culturally, and socially, particularly in rural communities where winemaking traditions run deep.The development of winemaking in these communities manifests in various ways, from job creation and tourism growth to the preservation of cultural heritage and overall improvement in the quality of life. Moreover, wine culture has become a source of community identity and pride, reinvigorating traditional knowledge and craftsmanship. Local wineries actively collaborate with educational institutions, tour operators, and government bodies, introducing innovative solutions and strengthening regional development.
Through organizing Yerevan Wine Days, EventToura, in partnership with the Areni Wine Festival Foundation, also organizes the Areni Wine Festival, helping to promote the village of Areni in Vayots Dzor as a cradle of Armenian winemaking. Held in a borderland community, the festival attracts over 30,000 visitors annually, ensuring a significant influx of tourists into the village and stimulating the local economy. It becomes an economically beneficial platform not only for winemakers but also for other community members—artisans, guesthouse owners, restaurants, and entrepreneurs.
In addition to the economic benefits, the festival strengthens the cultural identity of the community, encourages youth participation, and creates opportunities to develop new tourism services. Beyond the festivals, this year we also launched the “Your Wine Day Route” awareness campaign, designed to introduce tourists to Armenia’s broader tourism potential. The campaign features 20 thematic maps that guide visitors through museums, galleries, and wineries in both Yerevan and the regions, encouraging deeper exploration and cultural engagement.
Finally, as we look toward the future, what role do you see events like Yerevan Wine Days playing in positioning Armenia as a destination for sustainable wine tourism? What new initiatives are you planning, and what specific environmental and social impacts are you hoping to achieve through these future developments?
— In recent years, Yerevan Wine Days has become one of the key events in Armenia’s tourism calendar, significantly contributing to the country’s international branding efforts. The festival presents Armenia as an ancient cradle of winemaking, enriched with modern, emotional, and responsible approaches. As we now consider wine tourism as a long-term development path for the country, Yerevan Wine Days emerges as a fundamental tool for positioning Armenia as a leading destination for sustainable wine tourism.
Each year, the festival attracts tens of thousands of local and international visitors who become acquainted with Armenia’s winemaking landscape—its winemakers, grape varieties, and cultural diversity. These direct interactions foster ongoing interest in Armenia’s wine regions, particularly Vayots Dzor, Ararat, Tavush, and Armavir. Many tourists plan follow-up trips to regional wineries, turning their festival experience into a full-fledged wine journey. Ultimately, the growth in wine consumption and circulation directly contributes to the revitalization of agriculture. This trend encourages the planting of new vineyards, the preservation of grape varieties, and the restoration of diverse rural landscapes.
As a vital platform for knowledge sharing, we have established EventToura: Foundation for Event-Based Tourism to support not only our events but also the development and sustainability of other community-based festivals across Armenia. Through this foundation, we aim to connect expertise and resources with the regions, promote community involvement in tourism initiatives, and reinforce Armenia’s position as a global destination for festival-based and wine tourism.
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