Azerbaijan expects growth in health tourism

The number of tourists visiting Azerbaijan for therapeutic and recreation purposes will increase by 18 percent in 2019, chairman of the Association for Support of Medical and Thermal Tourism of Azerbaijan, President of the World Health Tourism Organization Ruslan Guliyev told Trend.

He said that in January-November 2018, the number of tourists who visited Azerbaijan for health purposes increased by 30 percent compared to the same period last year.

"More than 45,000 tourists from over 70 countries visited the Recreational Center Naftalan alone," he noted. "This figure is expected to grow by the end of the year."

He added that among the tourists who visited this center, the Russian, Kazakh and Uzbek citizens constitute a majority.

In addition, he noted that in Azerbaijan there are conditions for the development of all major areas of health tourism, and the development of this sphere is an important issue for the country.

"Health tourism differs from other types as it is not seasonal, and here, unlike other types of tourism, the number of overnight stays of tourists is greater," he added. "Tourists stop for at least 12 days."

He also said that in Azerbaijan it is necessary to develop a map of health tourism, which will contribute to the development of this area. It is also necessary to expand the use of innovative solutions in the medical and health centers of the country, he noted.

"There is a need to apply innovations in the field of management, in structural innovations, technological as well as market innovations," said Guliyev.

He expressed confidence that the work in this direction will bring results in a short time.