By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

Azerbaijan's State Tourism Agency Chairman Fuad Naghiyev discussed prospects for enhancing cooperation in tourism with Japan and Kazakhstan. 

During the meeting Japanese ambassador to Azerbaijan Junichi Wada, Naghiyev noted the importance of developing tourism ties and intensifying tourism recovery in the post-COVID-19 era. He also informed the ambassador about the efforts to make Azerbaijan's liberated territories a new tourist destination.

Emphasizing Japanese tourists' high interest in Azerbaijan, Junichi Wada, noted the significance of establishing direct flights and mutual study tours between the countries.

Moreover, the ambassador invited Azerbaijan to participate in the JATA WTF-2022 exhibition in Japan. According to the official, this will allow Japanese tourists to get acquainted with the tourism potential of Azerbaijan.

During the same event, Naghiyev and Kazakh ambassador to Azerbaijan, Serzhan Abdikarimovalso, focused on prospects of Azerbaijani-Kazakh tourism cooperation.

Further, the parties discussed the organization of mutual info tours, as well as marketing partnerships with 11 Kazakh international airports.

Abdikarimov stressed the importance of establishing joint tourist routes along the cultural heritage of the historical Silk Road. The ambassador added that these routes would help popularize the culture and tourism opportunities of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on the agency's projects in Kazakhstan, as well as on attracting Kazakh citizens to Azerbaijani tourist centers and resorts.

Currently, Azerbaijan and Japan are cooperating in different fields of economy. Japanese companies in Azerbaijan work in the fields of oil and gas as well as agriculture. Last year the trade turnover between the two countries exceeded $200 million and the growth of this sector is forecasted to increase up to four times in the near future. In addition, Japan has invested $7.1 billion in Azerbaijan, during the entire period of cooperation between the two countries.

It should be also noted that 2022 will be the “year of friendship between Azerbaijan and Japan”. 

Additionally, earlier this year, Azerbaijan’s Energy Ministry and Japan’s TEPSCO company signed an agreement on the establishment of the “green energy” zone in the newly-liberated territories. The agreement envisages the effective use of renewable energy potential such as wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and bioenergy in the liberated territories. It considers the establishment of a “green energy” zone based on modern energy management approaches in order to realize the energy supply of the region.

The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $228.1 million in the first 10 months of 2021.

Meanwhile, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan totaled $39 million in January-May 2021.  The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $142 million in 2020.