From October 19 to 22, Chief of Staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Mushegh Ghukasyan paid a working visit to the Kingdom of Belgium.

During the visit, Mr. Ghukasyan participated in the Global Tourism Forum (GTF) held in Brussels.

The Forum brought together representatives of government institutions, international organizations, professional associations, and leading experts from the tourism industry to discuss global tourism development trends, as well as new formats and opportunities for collaboration.

While in Brussels, Mr. Ghukasyan held a series of meetings with Global Tourism Forum President Bulut Bağcı; Member of Parliament of Ghana and former Minister of Tourism Catherine Afeku; Hala Matar Choufany, President of HVS Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (Dubai); Ako Faraj, Director of Consular Affairs at the Mission of the Kurdistan Regional Government to the EU; Debbie Hindle, Chair of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT Global); Furkan Çako, Diplomat at the Permanent Delegation of North Macedonia to NATO; and Natali Kvachantiradze, Chairperson of the Georgian Tourism Association.

The discussions focused on opportunities for joint initiatives and experience exchange, as well as the possibility of hosting next year’s Forum in Armenia.

Mr. Ghukasyan highlighted the importance of strengthening and expanding cooperation with international organizations, emphasizing that effectively leveraging the potential of the Diaspora can significantly contribute to Armenia’s tourism, educational, and cultural development.