How to succeed in establishing a startup, make it a high-demand business, and contribute to tourism development in one’s home country? Sophik Karapetyan, who knows tourist attractions of Vayots Dzor region pretty well, believes that its potential isn’t yet fully discovered. As a high school student, she considered turning her hobby into a business project, but due to a lack of experience, she didn’t take actions. The program “Get Started”, being implemented in general partnership with Viva, has become the much-needed platform for her. The “Association of Armenian Online Media and Journalists” NGO and Mediamax included Sophik in the 12-member team, giving her the opportunity to learn from the experiences of big companies, understand potential obstacles and ways to move forward.
Sophik wants to utilize technologies to introduce new tourist attractions to people visiting our country and make their stay more interesting and convenient. She is confident in creating a mobile application the effectiveness of which will contribute to the development of the industry. Sophik sees participating in “Get Started” as a great advantage and tries to make the most of it. For her, it is crucial to have such projects available for people of her age.
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“When I first learned about the program “Get Started” and its opportunities, I realized it would be the best support for my goal. I have always wondered why tourists cannot come to my village, Areni, and choose their preferred routes through an application. Technologies are now advanced to the point where no one can imagine their life without a mobile phone. The main advantage of the app would be allowing tourists to explore more than just the well-known places when visiting Vayots Dzor.
For example, they could discover not just Noravank, but also Saint Astvatsatsin Church of Areni built by [the famous medieval Armenian architect] Momik. I am working on turning my dream into reality. Such programs are exceptional: it is difficult to find a program where young people can express and understand themselves better,” Sophik Karapetyan noted.
The mentor-led workshops in the program’s second stage are also important for Sophik. Participants in small groups will have the opportunity to discuss their ideas and assess their feasibility for success.
This educational program also includes a competition where startup projects developed during the workshops and recognized as the best receive monetary incentives.
