Dezember verwandelt sich der charmante Innenhof des Weinlobbyisten in einen stimmungsvoll geschmückten Ort.

as he ran a hand over his short-cropped silver hair.(Photo by Alex Nauta)By BRANDON TADASHI CHUNGThe wooden door of Anzen Hardware was thick and old.

they all come here for their tools.nestled roughly in several crumpled pieces of parking paper.I cant keep up as much anymore.

More than the old wooden shelves or the antique tools that hung above the counter as decoration.swept in on the arms of the wind.

maybe the family can work here.

and I realized that this wasnt a decision hed made lightly.the My Armenia program increased and shared knowledge about Armenian cultural heritage while identifying opportunities to enhance and increase community-based tourism to rural Armenia.

ResultsIncreased visitation to Armenia.and specifically target areas outside of the capital (Yerevan)Increased revenue to the tourism sites.

and storytelling to strengthen cultural sustainability through community-based tourism development.Major ActivitiesStrengthen Armenias natural and cultural heritage tourism experiences – work with local residents to enhance the tourism experience along strategic tourism routes in the north and south to sustain Armenias natural and cultural heritageImprove natural and cultural heritage tourism sector workforce skills – enhance the skills of Armenians to work in tourism and to sustain cultural practices to improve the lives of Armenians in rural areasIncrease awareness of Armenia as a natural and cultural heritage tourism destination – Tell the story of Armenia to a broader audience and in a more engaging way so that more people are aware of Armenia as a travel destinationSynchronize efforts within the natural and cultural heritage tourism sector – Engage and leverage partners behind a stronger cultural heritage tourism economy in Armenia so that everyone is working toward a common goal.