Azerbaijan Tourism Board Opens ‘Azerbaijan. Travel’ Visitor Center in Tbilisi
The Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB), the national body that supports Azerbaijan’s growing tourism industry, opened the ‘Azerbaijan. Travel’ visitor center in the heart of Tbilisi, on central Rustaveli Avenue, on October 6.
The opening brought together key travel industry leaders and media representatives to build valuable connections between the two countries.
The center is a unique concept as it gives people an opportunity to learn about the diverse experiences that Azerbaijan has to offer. With displays and information, it will also house a travel agency which can provide details on tours and trips and even take bookings.
“Our countries are united by the values that bring good neighbors and close friends together,” said Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan. “This morning we had a meeting with Mariam Kvrivishvili, the Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration. During the meeting we discussed a wide range of issues, including, for example, the need to develop joint regional tours that cover Georgia and Azerbaijan. [see GT page 5] The ‘Azerbaijan. Travel’ visitor center was a natural progression as we grow our relationship and visitor numbers rise.”
“We would like to warmly welcome the Azerbaijan Travel Board,” said Mariam Kvrivishvili, the Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration. “Georgia has a very lasting, historic and close friendly relationship with Azerbaijan. We’ve implemented many important events and projects together in the international arena. There is a huge potential for tourism development in both countries and we can attract even more visitors through the concept of combined tours, which is becoming quite popular nowadays. The fact that Azerbaijan opened a visitor center in Tbilisi will help our citizens to discover the history and culture of Azerbaijan and at the same time will contribute to deepening relations and cooperation between the two countries.”
“We have enjoyed close ties between our two countries and the opening of ‘Azerbaijan. Travel’ underpins our commitment to Georgia and its residents,” noted Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board. “Azerbaijan is the ideal destination for numerous reasons. With excellent connectivity and a wide variety of experiences, Baku is an affluent city with modern infrastructure. The Azerbaijani people are excited to share their culture, cuisine and country with visitors from Georgia.”
Georgia makes up 22% of Azerbaijan’s current in-bound travelers and, with a direct flight from Tbilisi, improved direct railroad and land routes as well as a visa-free regime for Georgian passport holders, this is expected to increase in 2020. Azerbaijan expects to rise through the ranks of countries with a high tourism contribution to its national GDP, forecast to be at 6% per annum over the course of the next 10 years ranking it amongst the world’s top 20 high potential countries.
This follows the launch of ATB’s marketing campaign “Take another look” which encourages travelers to discover Azerbaijan’s hidden gems and aims to double current in-bound tourism by 2023.
By Ana Dumbadze