The Networking and B2B Event under the framework of the Mentoring Service of the project: "AREVADZOR – Enhancing SME competitiveness through promotion and wider use of sustainable innovative technologies project", was dedicated to networking and establishment of cooperation between B&B's, industry experts and other public and private stakeholders in the tourism and energy sectors.

The conference was focused on 4 thematic panels of discussion, hosting presentations from selected experts and discussions with the public.
The target region of AREVADZOR Project is in the central part of the Vayots Dzor Marz, that encompasses two of the three state sanctuaries – Yeghegnadzor and Herher sanctuaries, specifically communities of Yeghegnadzor, Gladzor, Vernashen, Shatin, Artabuynk, Goghtanik, Karmrashen, Herher.

Here the Agenda of the Event, that was attended by 119 persons.
10.30 Starting of the Registration of the Invited Persons
11.00 Opening of the Event in Plenary Session
- Presentation of the Event and the panels of discussion (Alexan Avagyan, SIT Center)
- Greetings of the Representatives of Vayots Dzor Marzpetaran and Yerevan Municipality
- Introduction to the project (Massimo Gacci, Mentoring Service AREVADZOR)
12.30 Closing of the Plenary Session
12.45 Lunch
14.00 Starting of the Panels of Discussion, running in parallel
16.00 Conclusions and Closing of the Event

The main content of the 4 panels of discussions, held in the afternoon, is the following:

Panel 1: Networking and B2B for Energy - Chaired by Ms. Hasmik Barseghyan, Energy Expert of the AREVADZOR Mentoring Service)
This panel of discussion is focused on energy efficient solutions available on the Armenian Market and credit products to facilitate investments in energy efficiency. Participants have included: Local SMEs, Representatives of producers of energy efficient solutions (such as building companies, producers of energy efficient appliances etc), Academics, policy makers, Representative of credit institutions such as banks, International Donors’ Representatives and Representatives of International financial institutions and programmes in support to energy efficiency and renewable energies in Armenia. The panel hosted the presentation of The representative of ACBA leasing, Vahagn Shmavonyan, who presented green financing mechanisms of ACBA leasing in my panel "Networking and B2B for energy". The other speaker was Vahram Kirakosyan, Construction manager at Habitat for humanity Armenia, and his presentation was on energy efficient technologies.

Panel 2: Networking and Community Strategies s for Tourism - Chaired by Ms. Tsovinar Kocharyan Energy Expert of the AREVADZOR Mentoring Service and by Mr. Leonardo Borsacchi, AREVADZOR Expert on Tourism and Local Development
The panel “Networking and community strategies for tourism” was mainly focused on the promotion of tourism ecological practices in Vayots Dzor area, also introducing the strategy of the Community Based Tourism
(CBT). Almost 20 participants attended the panel: among them B&B owners, local authorities representatives and students. Moderated by Tsovinar Kocharyan (AREVADZOR Mentoring Service), Arus Nersisyan (CNF - Caucasus
Nature Fund) presented some ecotourism activities conducted in Vayots Dzor in collaboration with WWF Armenia. During the panel Leonardo Borsacchi (ARCO – PIN, University of Florence) presented the main findings of the research on ecotourism and B&Bs in Vayots Dzor. Later he coordinated an open discussion among the participants in order to collect feedbacks and opinions. Many B&B owners considerate the idea of future collaboration among local stakeholders, also coordinated in «Community Based Tourism» projects, a good opportunity to increase their business as well to offer higher quality ecotourism services.

Panel 3: B2B for tourism – Chaired by Mr. Vahagn Sahakyan, BDO Armenia Director and AREVADZOR Mentoring Service Manager
This panel of discussion was focused on promoting and facilitating the access of the SMEs eco-tourism operators in Vayots Dzor to the Armenian and international tourism market; this panel of discussion hosted around 40 persons and in the specific: Tourism Business Development Experts, Local SMEs, Public Authorities, Students, Representatives of tourism product retailers/tour operators to present tourism products, Travel book writers/editors. The panel hosted the presentations on best practices and concrete experiences on tourism management, from different perspectives of work. In particular, Karine Israyelyan presented the experience of touristic guides for International Tourings, Ekaterina Tadevosyan explained the main issues and methods for managing hotel services and problem solving with Tourists of different Nationalities; Mekhak Apresyan (Chairman of Armenian Tourism Federation) introduced to the role of tour operators and the main issue concerning the connection of tourism products in rural areas; Anahit Voskanyan (Armenia Tourism Committee) introduced the public to the main statistical data concerning tourism and hosting in Vayots Dzor, and presented the strategies to enforce tourism in this Region. Finally, Sedrak Mamulyan, president of Cookery Traditions Development and protection NGO, presented the work of the School of culinary Art, the Dolma festival (at Musaler) and the Armenian Barbeque Festival, as concrete experience of heritage conservation and promotion, especially in the collection of recipes of Armenian and Vayots Dzor traditional cuisine, and its influence on the tourism proposals in Armenia.

Panel 4: International Donors’ Instruments for SIR Center – Chaired by Mr. Massimo Gacci, Team Leader of the AREVADZOR Mentoring Service
This panel was aimed at capitalizing and replicating the good practices developed by previous EU funded projects in the same area and at disseminating the results of mentoring, coaching and networking activities. This, with the aim to promote the creation of a permanent platform of discussions in the Region of Vayots Dzor that could bring to the sharing of experiences, good practices and new projects of development cooperation for both the sectors of Energy Efficiency and Tourism Development. The Participants have included: Personnel of the SIT, Local Authorities representatives. During the Panel of discussion, the participants have been introduced to the main EU instruments and programs for funding, supporting and promoting networks in Armenia, in the sectors of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Moreover, the panel hosted the presentation of successful experiences of actions and best practices recently developed in Armenia, and in the specific for Energy Efficiency practices in Housing Projects (Luiza Vardanyan, Habitat for Humanity Armenia) and for Tourism Development (presented by Anahit Volkanyan, Armenian Tourism State Committee, and Mekhak Apresyan, Armenia Tourism Federation).