A gala dinner in Doha marked the conclusion of a road show that was organised by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism with the aim of developing co-operation in the field of travel and tourism, both business and leisure.
The initiative also sought to spread information about tourism in order to diversify Azerbaijan economy’s away from its dependence on oil and gas. Development of tourism is currently a key priority for Azerbaijan, according to a statement.
The event was attended by Qatari dignitaries, ministers and industry pioneers.
Rashid al-Noori, representative of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in the GCC, presented Azerbaijan’s travel and tourism portfolio - highlighting different segments of Azerbaijan’s tourism market. Key aspects were also discussed to engage industries and government in support of Azerbaijan’s tourism growth.
He was followed by Abulfas Garayev, Minister of Culture and Tourism, Azerbaijan, who made a presentation on the “solution basket that would help make Azerbaijan the ultimate tourism destination, offering an unparalleled variety of travel and holiday experiences”, the statement noted.
“We’d like to inspire travellers from all over the world to visit and explore Azerbaijan. We’d also like to deliver a global network to support tourism promotion in Azerbaijan and to champion tourism,” he said.
The minister spoke about the importance of the Middle East, particularly the GCC states, for Azerbaijan’s tourism. He also shared his best experiences of working in co-operation with Qatar.
“The government of Azerbaijan has lifted advance visa requirements for the citizens of five GCC countries, as well as Japan, Malaysia, China, South Korea and Singapore. This is a historic milestone in our relationship with these countries. We are pleased to inform the public, travel trade companies and those planning to visit Azerbaijan and enjoy the historical sites and its beautiful landscape,” he said.
The visa waiver will facilitate “an excellent traffic flow by all categories of people among these nationals”, it was observed.
Azerbaijan was chosen to host the World Tourism Forum Lucerne Think Tank last month, while the first European Games were held in Baku in 2015. Azerbaijan has also signed a contract to host the Formula 1 Baku Grand Prix this year.
These major events will help attract people from all over the world and this, in turn, is likely to have a positive impact on Azerbaijan’s tourism sector over the next decade, the statement notes. “Along with excellent air accessibility, world-class conference facilities and high-quality hotels to accommodate events of different size and scale, unique dining venues and authentic on-site activities, we’re all working together to make Azerbaijan visible to the world of meetings.”