Azerbaijan is climbing the charts as a favourite tourist destination with its eclectic mix of Asian and Eastern European experiences.
Bahruz Asgarov, Deputy CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board was in India recently to attend the Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) In Mumbai and spoke to G. Kalyan Kumar, Editor, Business Views.
Asgarov acknowledged the importance of India as a crucial source market for ATB while highlighting the country’s strengths, amazing attractions, and strategies of ATB in enhancing the travel experience in this former part of the erstwhile Soviet Union.
Located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia, Azerbaijan straddles both West Asia and Eastern Europe, delivering a transcontinental experience to travelers blending great natural beauty, events, rejuvenation, splendid sights, shopping experiences, and amazing food.
In short, Azerbaijan has something unique to excite every tourist. In the post-pandemic period ATB, according to Asgarov, will hit big targets and exuded the optimism that tourist arrivals will break the pre-pandemic numbers.
Excerpts...
What makes Azerbaijan a unique travel destination? How did ATB ensure a better mix of products and a great travel experience?
Azerbaijan is a unique tourism destination for many reasons. It is a blend of cultural heritage, modern landmarks, astounding natural resources, great hospitality, thrilling sights, delicious cuisine, and welcoming people.
Azerbaijan is home to 9 out of 11 climate zones and covers a wide array of unique landscapes, mountains, forests, steppes, and a vast coastline. This has helped us to develop hiking trails surrounded by breath-taking nature through rural villages, beautiful forests, stunning views, lakes, and waterfalls.
On the urban front, Baku is the vibrant capital city reflecting an eclectic mix of ancient heritage and modern amenities. The city has an important UNESCO heritage site plus the very popular Old City with its awesome Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs’ Palace, and the Gobustan Rock Art Culture Landscape.
The modern landmarks also include world-class museums and restaurants serving local and international cuisine that will fill load any visitor with delightful memories.
What are the tourist segments you are targeting from the Indian market?
As I mentioned, historic links make it easier to build relations with segments of tourists in India. They include free, independent travelers (FITs), families, MICE, wedding organizers, corporate travelers of incentive trips, and film and photo shoots.
What is ATB’s marketing strategy? Is there anything more than the tie-up with airlines and tour operators?
Before the pandemic, we had organized many activities to attract travelers from India. They included photo shoots for Brides India and Harper’s Bazaar, farm trips for wedding planners, and participation in trade exhibitions including OTM and SATTE plus outreach via media dinners. We are also active on the Wedding Sutra platform with a fabulous destination profile.
The OTM in Mumbai had our physical presence and we explored many collaboration opportunities with B2B and B2C media partners.
How big is the Indian market for Azerbaijan tourism? Are there direct flights to Indian cities?
India has always been an important source market for Azerbaijan. In 2019, we hit a record of 3.2 million international arrivals in which India was one of the top source markets. There had been historic links between Azerbaijan and India in terms of culture, history, and traditions.
The Ateshgah Fire Temple near Baku is an example of mutual relations. This 18th-century monument is built over natural fires and worshipped by Zoroastrians. It is solid proof of the ancient trade links and hospitality that Indian merchants enjoyed along the Silk Road in our country.
What are the segments that an Indian traveler can explore in Azerbaijan?
All demand areas of the Indian market are met by Azerbaijan tourism. We combine leisure, corporate, wedding and cinema shooting segments plus many other immersive experiences. Although there are no direct flights, connecting flights are readily available.
What makes the capital city Baku special?
As the capital city, Baku enjoys the mystique of an ancient Silk Road city. It is the hub of connectivity in the eastern Caucasus region. Azerbaijan has a big emphasis on excellent domestic and international transport infrastructure. That manifests in the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, which has won the prestigious Skytrax 5-star rating for COVID-19 Airport Safety and is just a 25-minutes drive from the city center.
Currently, there are 7 international airports in Azerbaijan including Heydar Aliyev International Airport and two more are under construction in the Karabakh region.
The Karabakh region is an emerging tourist attraction where elaborate restoration efforts are in progress. In addition to the existing international airport, two more airports are in progress. This region holds great promise for outdoor activities, cultural routes, health and wellness centers, etc.
How good is the air connectivity to the capital Baku for an optimal experience?
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of airlines operating flights to Azerbaijan exceeded 30, and the total number of destinations was more than 60. By 2021, the flights are operating to 37 destinations covering air routes to CIS, European, Turkish, and Middle Eastern destinations.
Please tell me something about the accommodation options?
As for accommodation, there are multiple options, ranging from luxury hotels in cutting-edge buildings and international and local hotel chains to family-run establishments and small inns, runaway houses in picturesque landscapes, and youth hostels. Famous international chains operating in Azerbaijan include Four Seasons, JW Marriott Absheron, Fairmont, Hilton, and so on.
Courtyards by Marriott Baku and IHG had been opened recently for leisure and business events, while new properties from Ritz-Carlton and Hotel Indigo are getting ready.
In what way the topography of Azerbaijan is boosting tourism growth?
Azerbaijan’s north is dominated by the majestic Caucasus Mountains and the south has luscious lemons and tea estates. Travelers can go skiing up in the north and land up in the subtropical south on the same day. They can also join wine tours or treat themselves to therapies that soothe both the mind and body at health and wellness centers.
What are the tourist seasons and travel protocols in Azerbaijan?
Citizens and residents of 87 countries can fly to Azerbaijan by air for a legally valid tour experience. They must submit an official document on full vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 with a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before the flight.
Please share more info on the hiking trails that excite nature tourists?
The fastidious 97-km hiking route in Azerbaijan cuts through Sheki and Zagatala in the north-western part supplementing the Transcaucasian trail as a vital component of the tourism experience. The new project connects the Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains.
Can you throw some light on the popular Slow Food Travel concept?
The popularity of the rich local cuisine prompted us to introduce the Slow Food Travel concept via COVCHEG (Community-based Value Chain Enhancement in the Greater Caucasus Mountains Area) funded by the European Union.
The Slow Food route, across the north-western region, offers a first-hand experience of farming and cooking Azerbaijani cuisine. This travel model is now being expanded to the southern parts of the country to open up new opportunities.
Does Azerbaijan offer a visa on arrival for tourists?
India is among the select countries eligible for an Azerbaijan e-visa obtainable in just 3 steps via the evisa.gov.az website. Travelers can apply for a standard e-visa and obtain it in 3 working days, or opt for an urgent e-visa in 3 hours.
How big is Azerbaijan as a MICE tourism destination?
Azerbaijan Convention Bureau, established under ATB in 2018, serves to bring Azerbaijan to the global map of business events destinations. We are a premium business events destination thanks to Azerbaijan’s accessibility, infrastructure, and high-class venues well-equipped to accommodate big numbers of delegates.
What makes Baku a premium event destination?
With each passing year, Baku is gaining prominence as a premium events destination with superb infrastructure. The city has world-renowned venues like the Heydar Aliyev Centre and Baku Convention Centre, the best international airport, and the presence of famous international hotel chains like Hilton, Marriott, Four Seasons, Fairmont, etc., and many other categories of hotels backed by the best transport services.
Is Gabala an emerging star for hosting events?
Besides Baku city, Gabala in the northwest of the country is best suited for corporate events. It is three hours drive or 30 minutes flight from Baku.
Gabala offers an international airport as well as a convention center with a capacity to host up to 1,200 delegates. The scenic city also houses world-class resorts and soothing thermal springs. Other places gaining fame are Guba, Gusar, Sheki, and Gakh with super amenities for workshops, seminars, festivals, incentive tours, team-building activities, banquets, and cocktails.
Gabala is one of the best resort towns. It offers thrilling outdoor activities including hiking, and skiing, among others.
What are the opportunities in health and rejuvenation tourism?
One of the distinguishing features of Azerbaijan is that you can find amazing wellness experiences irrespective of the direction you are traveling in. Travelers can find cures for their ailments through mineral water springs in the north or south and get a nice treatment session accompanied by oil baths in the western part of Azerbaijan. Either way, tourists can reset their physical strength while enjoying picturesque landscapes.
To start with, the Naftalan oil of Azerbaijan has long been famous for its healing properties. People used to travel from far-off places along the Great Silk Road to find a cure for various ailments.
Also, Naftalan now offers enhanced travel experiences with cycling paths and an Oil Museum pavilion where a Tourism Information Centre assists visitors.
What sustains health tourism in Azerbaijan?
Gabala is home to three of the top 30 hot and cold mineral water springs in the Great Caucasus Mountains.
With rich concentrations of minerals and organic substances, these springs are used in modern treatments at health and wellness resorts that provide exclusive hospitality and world-class wellness packages, tailored to individual needs upon request.
Lankaran in the south is also well-known for natural hot springs. This city has an astounding landscape with the Caspian Sea coastline on one side and the lush Talish Mountains on the other. Popular sanatoriums here offer various types of balneotherapy using the healing power of dozens of thermal sources on the hotel’s territory.
Azerbaijan cuisine is famous. How do you play up that component in the promotions?
Our cuisine has the fame of having once welcomed thousands of travelers along the Great Silk Road. The Azerbaijani cuisine has been influenced by many cultures with a flashback to our past as well as the generous microclimates, which groom most of the delicious fruits, vegetables, and grains organically.
Each region of Azerbaijan is famous for at least one product and allows us to offer a wide variety of delicacies in vegetarian and non-vegetarian formats.
Also, the vast array of restaurants, ranging from Western-style eateries in the capital city to medieval caravanserais in the lush forests of the Caucasus Mountains foothills, offering diverse dining experiences in terms of dolma, plov, kebabs, qutabs, etc are assured.
What are the upcoming events in Baku that will elicit global travel interest?
I would also like to highlight that there are some high-level events lined up for upcoming years. In 2023, Baku will host the International Astronautical Congress where 6,000 representatives of the space industry will converge. Other events planned are the European Association for Cranio Maxillo Facial Surgery and the 99th Session of the European Youth Parliament. In 2024, the capital city Baku will be hosting the Leadership Symposium of the University Scholars.
What is your message to tourism stakeholders in India to promote Azerbaijan as a destination?
First of all, I would like to thank our stakeholders in India for their huge interest in Azerbaijan even during the pandemic. As part of the promotions, in 2020 and 2021 we organized around 60 webinars and panel discussions in which more than 6,000 travel agents from the leisure, corporate, and wedding segments participated.
Our e-learning platform Azerbaijan 101 shares extensive knowledge about different tourism offerings with the travel agents and tour representatives across the tourism industry. Interestingly, the highest number of people who got certified as Azerbaijan travel experts was from India in 2020.
The ATB regional manager in India Mr. Rovshan Rahimov is always accessible and can be reached via email (roshan dot rahimov at tourism board dot az) for information and support services.
