Azerbaijan expecting new wave of tourists from China

By  Trend

The number of Chinese tourists who will come to Azerbaijan in the coming years may reach 200,000 people, Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency Fuad Nagiyev said, Trend reports March 1.

The expected growth is envisaged by the “Memorandum of Understanding on the simplification of group tours of Chinese tourists to Azerbaijan between Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China,” he noted.

He said that in 2018, an increase of 50 percent was observed in this direction.

“We can say that several times more tourists will arrive from China to Azerbaijan,” he noted. “China has been chosen as one of the main priority markets to attract tourists to Azerbaijan. There are 12 target destinations in total, including the post-Soviet space, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Azerbaijan’s official travel agencies are already operating in six countries, including China. In the near future, their representative offices will open in four more countries.”

Nagiyev added that on the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, participants in the emerging tourism industry should ensure the double growth in the number of tourists coming to Azerbaijan. Along with this, tourists should be satisfied with the services provided, he said.

As part of the seventh meeting of the Azerbaijan-China Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation held February 27-March 1, a “Memorandum of Understanding on the simplification of group tours of Chinese tourists to Azerbaijan between Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China” was signed March 1 in Beijing.

From the Azerbaijani side, the Memorandum was signed by Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency Fuad Nagiyev, and from the Chinese side by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of China Zhang Xu.