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Armenia & Karabakh Community Travel warning

US Government Issues Warnings to Citizens Not to Travel to Gegharkunik, Syunik

September 18, 2025

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The Armenian Mirror-Spectator

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By Veronika Bondarenko

WASHINGTON (Thestreet.com) — Bordered by Türkiye to the east and Iran to the south, the nation of Armenia has seen a strong boost in tourism over the last half-decade.

With the largest numbers of tourists visiting from Russia and Iran, the country that straddles Asia and Europe — Armenia is geographically in West Asia but belongs to several European organizations like the Council of Europe — has recently also seen growing numbers of tourists from the United States and other Western countries.

The 334,396 foreign visitors who came to Armenia in August 2025 represent an 11.1% increase from the same month in 2024.

Some of the most popular destinations are Yerevan, the capital that is also called “The Pink City” due to the pink tuff stone used to construct many of its buildings, and natural wonders like Lake Sevan and the Symphony of Stones.

Armenia is generally considered a very safe country for tourists to visit; the U.S. State Department keeps it at the same “exercise increased caution” that it also assigns to France, Italy, and Thailand.

But at the start of September, the U.S. government also updated its guidance for Armenia to reiterate that while most of the country is at the second-lowest advisory level, some areas are at “increased risk.”

In particular, regions that border Azerbaijan have raised concerns due to a history of conflict between the two countries.

American citizens in Armenia on official business of the government are not permitted to travel to the Gegharkunik region east of Vardenis, the Syunik region east of Goris, and the Syunik region south of Kapan. Those traveling in a personal capacity are simply advised to avoid them.

“Travel through Yeraskh village in Ararat region is allowed, stopping is not,” the September 5 travel advisory reads.

While most of the full-scale war and bulk of the violence took place in the 1990s, relations between the two countries escalated in 2020 over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

In August 2025, the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents signed an agreement aimed at establishing peace in the Caucasus region during a meeting at the White House.

The Armenian Mirror-Spectator

Topics: Travel warning

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“Past military action has occurred near the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and there is potential for armed conflict in the area,” the updated State Department advisory currently reads. “[…] Exercise caution on roads near Armenia’s border with Azerbaijan. Some parts of the road may cross international borders without warning. Checkpoints may control roads or authorities may close them to travelers without notice.”

Those who do travel to the regions are advised to sign up for travel insurance prior to the trip and become familiar with the area they plan to visit.

Azerbaijan, which has also been seeing a spike in tourists from Western countries in recent years, is similarly ranked at level two’s “exercise increased caution” for the country as a whole and “do not travel” for the areas bordering Armenia.

Both nations have made significant efforts to invest in their tourism industries in recent years; Armenia’s plan to pour $100 million into the regions of Goris, Jermuk, and Dilijan was approved by the World Bank in June 2025.

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