YEREVAN, December 16. /ARKA/. The ACBA Federation and the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) were instrumental in opening a honey tasting room in the village of Martuni, the ACBA -CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK said in a news release today.

It said following in his grandfather's steps, the beekeeper Hayk Hovhannisyan built small houses and also a guest house for apitherapy near the beehives. He represents the fourth generation in the family of beekeepers who have been introducing the experience and the skills of decades inherited from their grandfather, who emigrated from Van (now in Turkey), into the production of honey

The seasoned beekeeper says that his partners contributed greatly to his achievements in the field of agro tourism. He was able to build up his business thanks to the Rural Tourism Development Program implemented jointly by the ACBA Federation and the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union.
"I was able to complete the third floor of the guest house. I see that the tourism business in Armenia is developing," Hovhannisyan said.

ACBA was established in 1996 as part of EU’s TACIS program. As a result of a long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation between ACBA Bank and the French Credit Agricole the latter became the biggest shareholder of ACBA in 2006, September. ACBA was restructured, becoming a closed joint stock company and was renamed ACBA CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK.

Founded in 1899, NABU encompasses more than 520,000 members and sponsors, who commit themselves to the conservation of threatened habitats, flora and fauna, to climate protection and energy policy. NABU`s main objectives are the preservation of habitats and biodiversity, the promotion of sustainability in agriculture, forest management and water supply and distribution, as well as to enhance the significance of nature conservation in our society. -0-