Details of the the 9th Azerbaijan International Tourism and Travel Fair

“We are bound by long-standing friendly relations with our fraternal country”

Dr. Aytekin Yilmaz, Counsellor for Cultural and Information Affairs of the Turkish Embassy in Azerbaijan: In terms of presenting our country's tourism potential, we believe the Caucasus and Central Asia are of immense importance and also very promising.

Of course, from this standpoint, Azerbaijan is the most profitable and stable partner. First, we are bound by a long-standing friendly relationship with this fraternal country. We also both speak kindred languages and hold constant mutual visits. Second, the number of Azerbaijani tourists to our country is on the rise. This is why, for the second year, we are participating in the AITF. This was the first time we have participated in the event as the partner country.
The exhibition brings together tourist industry representatives from two Turkish provinces. All of the exhibitors have immense experience participating in such events around the world, as well as organising tourist exhibitions in Istanbul.

We must note that the exhibition is very well done, and provides a forum of stability and mutual understanding, which brings practical benefits to all our participant countries, and helps them to forge cooperation. Thus, representatives of our Tourism Ministry have also opted to join our Turkish delegation.


Aida Ercan, Manager of Domestic Tourism, Tourist DETUR (Turkey): This is the third AITF exhibition in Azerbaijan that we have joined. Although our company, a tour operator, has been on the tourism market for 15 years, we were mainly focused on the European market. However, every year circumstances change with more and more tourists coming from Azerbaijan. Now we are experiencing an urgent need to respond to this increased demand. Thus, we are taking part in Azerbaijani exhibitions for their practical efficiency.
By introducing Turkish resorts at AITF-2010, we are sure that we are keeping step with the times. Antalya and the Aegean coast, Bodrum, Marmara, Ankara, and Istanbul are all in high demand when it comes to Azerbaijani tourists.

In fact, all Turkish cities are available as exclusive orders, and VIP-services are increasingly demanded by tourists from Azerbaijan. Choosing the best offers and superior service, visitors from Azerbaijani receive top-of-the-line tourism products by working with DETUR. Suffice it to say that, this year, our company is the official organizer of the World BasketballChampionships.
Another important point of our expanding partnership is that all our indoor and outside presentations attract circa 95 percent of the visitors and professionals interested in joint businesses. This is a good indicator, but also a sign to become confident in the AITF exhibition's future!


Strengthening Relationships -- Skal International Clubs

An event was held at the stand of the Azerbaijani travel company Millennium Tourism Congress DMS that could be called the next step towards international cooperation with Skal International Clubs. These tourist organizations were founded in 1954 and now number over 600 across the globe. They are an international association of tourism professionals.

Skal gathers under one roof leading international tourism professionals, promoting the idea of global tourism and friendship. This is the only international group uniting the entire travel and tourism industry.

AITF-2010 was a fortunate meeting place for two "colleagues," as Baku Skal International President Ruslan Guliyev exchanged contracts with the club's Vice President in Antalya Umman Chetinbas. Both industry experts noted the importance of strengthening friendship and professional relations, holding joint info-tours, trainings and Skal International events which are positively influencing the development of global tourism.


At the AITF-2010, we are presenting spa services in the Stavropol Region

Sergei Nekrasov, President of the Association for Resorts and Tourism of the Stavropol Territory: At the AITF-2010, we are presenting spa services in the Stavropol Region. As part of our joint stand, we are holding exhibits of resort cities such as Yessentuki, Zheleznovodsk, Kislovodsk, Mineral Waters, and Pyatiqorsk, which are famous for their unique methods of treatment.

The joint stand represents 16 companies and tour operators who specialize in Caucasian health resorts. Our participation in the exhibition is due to our region's increased interest in Azerbaijan - no less than 20 percent of spa visitors come from your country. Of course, this has affected the feasibility of expanding the market. We need to become better acquainted with our old partners, establish relations with new partners and renew and expand contacts. All these aspirations, we hope, can be realized at this exhibition in Baku.


Evgeny Nikitin, General Director of the “Jemchujina Kafkaza” Sanatorium (the Pearl of the Caucasus), Honoured Professor of the Russian Federation: Traditionally, Azerbaijani people come for successful medical treatment to our sanatorium. Caucasian resorts have long been famous for their abilities to positively influence the digestive system, lungs, etc. From your region, we have third- and fourth-generation visitors, who come not only for treatment, but also to relax and unwind. Maybe they are attracted by the similar geographical and mental peculiarities of our territories? The main thing is that, through this exhibition, we are able to strengthen links that are beneficial for human health, as well as business tourism.


Oksana Kleftogianni, Managing Director EPICURUS Travel (Greece): Last year I arrived to Baku for the first time and visited the tourism exhibition. The event was both enjoyable and memorable. Thus, in 2010, I decided to organize our stand here, and we were all very pleased to see that the first visitor at the exhibition was the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. He studied our proposals for tourism development in Greece and Europe. This is one of the exhibition's important advantages. Here, the country's leaders can quickly and constructively evaluate the level of services and business proposals of foreign companies.

We also look forward to a fruitful meeting with representatives of the Culture and Tourism Ministry, and Azerbaijani tour operators.

Our company's motto is that we work for people who love to travel! This policy involves a wide range of tourist services. Our company has a representative office in Moscow, which is also present here today at the exhibition.

We have come to Azerbaijan to find partners to develop joint business. At the end of our first day, our hopes were justified. We had a critical mass of productive meetings. Participating in the AITF 2010 was a true benefit for our organization.


Presentation of new air bridge

The presentation of the Baku-Crete flight was held yesterday at the stand of the Azerbaijani travel company SW Travel. The significance of opening the flight, which was timed to coincide with the exhibition, is associated with increasing entrepreneurial activity in the tourism industry, and particularly, in the direct air bridge between Azerbaijan and Greece. The need to organize the route was due to the increasing flow of Azerbaijani tourists to Greece.

The flight is organized on the request of well-known Azerbaijani tourist companies. The symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony bringing together the air spaces of our two countries was attended by four company leaders, and representatives of the Greek Embassy in Azerbaijan and the Greek Tourism Ministry.

According to participants, international tourism exhibitions are the ideal way to announce new projects. First, here, as they say, you have right people gathered in the right place. Second, the event attracted the attention of industry professionals, many visitors who had first-hand information about popular tourism services.

From June 12, weekly AZAL flights will deliver passengers to the legendary island of Aphrodite. The service providers are happy. The same happiness is shared by all tourists who have already obtained air tickets for this new flight. All this said, the AITF exhibition undoubtedly provides support for enterprise development in international tourism. In other words, its obligations are fulfilled both to participants and visitors.


We will give you a paradisiacal adventure!

Want to land on a unique fairy-tale island, which celebrates its 500th anniversary of becoming a part of the civilization this year? Mauritius, the heart of the sea-locked state in the south-west of the Indian Ocean, where you can fully enjoy the adventures in the landless waters, descend into the crater of an extinct volcano, enjoy the exotic birds and plants in nature reserves, and  become acquainted with  different cultures and mentality of myriad nations of the world.

We are ready not only to spend hours of talking about the wonders of Mauritius to all visitors of our stand but also to help with travelling to the magnificent white sand beaches and coral reefs of the island. Here, despite the remoteness of the island, European tourists admire the amazing sportfishing and diving. Though we have rare visitors from Azerbaijan, AITF 2010 has already proved the growing interest of your people in the charms of nature, heavenly impressions and implementation of successful commercial projects. We have myriad international companies, an offshore business centre, robust communications and highly educated people. Some people visit our land for business purposes, while others travel here to buy holiday houses.

So, business tourism to Mauritius is as well of a certain interest for Azerbaijani entrepreneurs. Visitors to the exhibition are eager to learn about wide ranges of our services, which might be interesting for them outside the hotel. We explain them that we provide comfortable hotels, excellent services, and delicious food. And of course you can expect amazing tours full of historical and culture peculiarities, environmental surprises, and, finally, real adventures.

This is our first visit to Baku, and we believe that Azerbaijan, a country with strong economy, may allow its people to opt a new idea of relaxing on a tropical island. We have very good relations with Dubai, which is almost next to Azerbaijan. So, there are regular six-hour flights from Dubai to Mauritius. I believe that this is a good opportunity for people from Azerbaijan to discover the tropical island, in particular, island nation Mauritius. Therefore AITF 2010, a professional trade show that is annually held in different countries, gives favourable opportunities. This exhibition has played an important role in disseminating information about our country. Suffice it to say that President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev personally visited our stand and, in a friendly conversation, showed interest to our state and opportunities for developing tourist relations.

We hope that through this exhibition, we will witness a surprise visit to our country of high level authorities from Azerbaijan. This will, no doubt, intensify international relations and help to develop tourism.

 
A surprise at AITF-2010 was the excellent opportunity available for traveling throughout Azerbaijan ... without leaving the exhibition. Visitors liked the idea of uniting stands demonstrating Azerbaijan’s regions in a single complex - an enclosed pavilion surrounded by a row of bright expositions.

Visitors studied 17 tourist routes in Azerbaijan, each having its own advantages and flavours. Photo exhibitions, maps, brochures and guidebooks on history, carpets, vases, shebekes (arabesque), ornaments, flowers and traditional decorations are varying from stand to stand.
Figuratively speaking, the mountains and forests coexist with flowering meadows, hot plains and icy waterfalls. Exhibition participants look to attract visitors, and to surprise them with their diverse tourism products, hotel infrastructure, and possibilities for increased tourism in the regions.

Local tourism experts believe that the tourism representatives of Nakhchivan, Guba, Lerik and Baku attending the event have successfully solved this problem.

The booths from Sheki, Gabala, Ganja and Khachmaz regions were decorated in a fun and interesting manner, while the Gakh, Lankaran, and Karabakh expositions won over visitors with their informal stories about local heritage.

All the exhibitors have something to be proud of - natural areas filled with unique historical monuments, national cultural treasures and original folk art.

Many regions presented ethnographic ensembles, and dance groups, as well as local wines, and sweets.

So, in the framework of AITF-2010, you are invited on a great trip around Azerbaijan. With each exhibition, we get closer to most remote regions of our country. That is the law of professional tourism exhibitions, as the journey begins at home.


/Today.Az/