TODAY.AZ / Business

Environmental protection & tourism development - future of modern Azerbaijan

08 February 2020 [10:38] - TODAY.AZ

In recent years, the number of tourists who have chosen Azerbaijan as a place for travel and recreation has increased sharply, which is natural, since all necessary conditions for this have been created in Azerbaijan.

Foreign tourists spent 4.3 billion manat (over $2.5 billion) in the country in 2019.

Azerbaijan has become world-famous as a tourist country with visionary, systematic activities to develop this industry, carried out under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. Looking back at the recent past, we can say that some 10-15 years ago this could only seem like pipe dreams. However, the Azerbaijani state managed to completely change the situation in record time.

The country has the most modern transport infrastructure, more than 16,700 kilometers of modern roads have been built, six international airports are functioning, including the Heydar Aliyev International airport, which is a five-star airport. There is a wide network of modern hotels in almost all regions of Azerbaijan. Brands of the vast majority of the world's leading hotels are represented in the country. Azerbaijan has a wonderful climate; welcoming, hospitable and generous people; one of the most interesting and diverse, magnificent national cuisine; and many unique historical monuments.

At a session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee last year, the Shaki Khans Palace was inscribed on the World Heritage List along with Gobustan, Icherishahar, the Maiden’s Tower and the Shirvanshahs Palace. Also last year, the infrastructure of the unique Yanardag natural site was completely reconstructed. This year, the head of state instructed to create the necessary infrastructure for turning the territory where mud volcanoes are located into a tourist zone. The reconstruction of the Baku-Yalama railway is ahead. Along with this, it is planned to lay a railway from Khudat district to the Shahdag ski complex, which for several years has gained fame as a global winter resort. The number of tourists visiting the complex is growing annually by 18-24 percent.

Practical steps are being taken everywhere in the country to turn historical places into tourist zones, and as a result, over 3.1 million tourists visited Azerbaijan last year.

However, all of the above would not lead to such impressive results, if Azerbaijan, thanks to the far-sighted, balanced policy implemented under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, did not reach the current level of political stability and security. Today, Azerbaijan is an island of security and stability throughout the South Caucasus. This is evidenced by the large number of international events and summits held in Baku in recent years. In particular, the Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement was held in Baku in 2019, within the framework of which Azerbaijan was unanimously elected the chair of this second largest international institution after the UN. The Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking States, the II Summit of religious leaders of the world and many others high-level international events were also held in the Azerbaijani capital.

As for the most relevant types of tourism today, ecotourism and agrotourism are gaining momentum around the world. An increasing number of residents of megalopolises want to relax from the bustle of the city in the bosom of the wild, to experience the simple joys of rural labor. Azerbaijan also actively develops these types of tourism, and the country has all the conditions for this. Improving the environment is the focus of the head of state. Very important measures are being taken in this direction. Modular treatment resorts have been constructed in many villages along the country's rivers through the country's Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry.

The process of cleaning contaminated areas, land remediation is ongoing, and the process of cleaning lakes is being widely conducted. In recent years, a lot of work has been done in this direction, many sources that negatively affect the environmental have been eliminated. The Bibiheybat zone, which was a site of an environmental disaster, was completely reconstructed, a park was built there, sports and cultural facilities were erected, and the seaside boulevard stretched up to this zone. The "Black City", which polluted Baku's atmosphere for many years, was completely liquidated, and its the territory was fully reclaimed.

In the near future, the length of seaside boulevard will be increased by several more kilometers, covering this territory, which will further improve the ecological situation in the city. The tree planting continues. Last year alone, as part of an action initiated by First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva to commemorate the 650th anniversary of the great Azerbaijani poet and philosopher Nasimi, 650,000 trees were planted in one day, and the number of trees planted in recent years exceeded 10-20 million. Environmental monitoring is constantly carried out, strict measures are applied to those guilty of violating environmental laws.

Yusif Aghayev

Political Department of Trend

URL: http://www.today.az/news/business/190784.html

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