TODAY.AZ / Business

Tourism Agency: improving hotel service quality is main task

05 September 2019 [14:13] - TODAY.AZ

By Azernews


By Leman Mammadova

In recent years, the creation of a diversified tourism infrastructure in Azerbaijan has increased the interest of foreign tourists in the country. Azerbaijan is now among the fastest-growing destinations for tourists.

The development of the existing potential in the hospitality sector and improvement of the quality of service are the main tasks of the State Agency for Tourism, said Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the Agency, at a meeting with Jens Zimmer Christensen, President of HOTREC (European Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Cafes).

During the meeting, tourism opportunities in Azerbaijan, hospitality and development of tourism industry in general were discussed.

Florian Sengstschmid, Executive Director of Azerbaijan Tourism Board, noted that important steps have been taken in the country for the development of hospitality and as part of this, Azerbaijan Hotel Association was established last year.

The meeting pointed to the study of international experience in the hospitality industry, as well as the importance of experience exchange.

Jens Zimmer Christensen attends the Intour Summit, which launched in Baku on September 3. The head of HOTREC will participate in meetings at the Food Safety Agency and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, as well as with representatives of the hotel sector of Azerbaijan.

On May 16, 2019, the Azerbaijan Hotel Association joined HOTREC as its 43rd member.

The first general assembly of Azerbaijan Hotel Association was held on December 4, 2018, to unite the hotel industry specialists and inform the assembly participants about the structure, charter, future activities, goals of the Association.

As many as 36 hotels are already members of Azerbaijan Hotel Association. The Association members will not have to pay membership fees in 2019, and from 2020, membership fees will be established in accordance with various categories. A new national star rating system will be applied for hotels in Azerbaijan in September-December 2019.

Last year, revenues of hotels in the country amounted to 359.4 million manats ($211.48 million).

In the modern world, tourism is one of the most dynamically developing and profitable sectors of the economy for each country. The tourism sector accounts for 10 percent of global GDP, and this area has a significant impact on issues of export, investment, infrastructure development and promotion of social integration, it stimulates entrepreneurship.

Last year, 2,849,600 tourists from 196 countries arrived in Azerbaijan, showing a 5.7 percent increase compared to 2017.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/business/186005.html

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