Azerbaijan, Pakistan to open charter flights

By Azernews

By Leman Mammadova

Azerbaijan and Pakistan will open charter flights, All Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (Tumsiad) Pakistan Chapter President Chaudhry Anees Iqbal said at a press conference on the Azerbaijan-Turkey-Pakistan exhibition to be held in Baku on April 11-13.

“We are already at the final stage of negotiations. It is welcomed by AZAL and the Government of Pakistan. We have to hold another meeting to agree on some of the details,” he noted.

He emphasized that the number of Pakistani tourists visiting Azerbaijan is growing. Thus, in 2018 22,000 tourists from Pakistan visited Azerbaijan and it is expected that their number will increase to 32,000 by September.

Azerbaijan–Pakistan relations are considered to be of "strategic partners" nature.

The strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Pakistan has contributed to the cooperation in economic, trade, military-technical, energy, tourism and other spheres.

Azerbaijan and Pakistan enjoy great potential in tourism cooperation.

The promotion of tourism potential of Azerbaijan, simplification of visa regime for Pakistani citizens and the launch of the ASAN Visa system increased the number of Pakistani tourists visiting Azerbaijan.

The work on the establishment of direct flights between the two countries is currently underway. After its completion, it is expected that the number of tourists will grow significantly.

In 2017, the number of Pakistani citizens, visiting Azerbaijan was between 20,000 – 25,000. Compared to 2016, the number of Pakistani people who travel to Azerbaijan has increased six-fold in 2017.

As many as 17,558 Pakistani tourists came in Azerbaijan in 2017, 3,998 in 2016, 2193 in 2015, and 1,817 tourists in 2014.

The number of Pakistani tourists visiting Azerbaijan has increased by more than eight times over the past two years.

Azerbaijan took part at the international travel and tourism exhibition "Pakistan Travel Mart" that was held in Karachi in October 2018.

Today, about 300 companies and entrepreneurs from Pakistan are working in Azerbaijan.

In 2017, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Pakistan amounted to $5.2 million. Around $402,470 of this amount accounted for export of Azerbaijan’s products to Pakistan, and $4.8 million accounted for import of Pakistani products to Azerbaijan.

The upcoming joint trade exhibition will feature pharmacological, medicine, cosmetics, surgical instruments, cutlery, electrical appliances, textile, leather, sports and sportswear, furniture, home-made crafts, crafts, food and accessories.