Target: 1.8 Million Tourists from Azerbaijan
Demonstrating its brotherhood, it rushed to Türkiye after the pandemic
Azerbaijan is rapidly advancing toward becoming one of our largest tourism markets. While approximately 700,000 people came to Türkiye from Azerbaijan for tourism purposes last year, mutual tourism traffic has returned to pre-pandemic levels. It is anticipated that the tourism volume between the two countries could reach 1.8 million tourists in the short term.
Müberra Eresin, President of the Association of Turkish Hoteliers (TÜROB), stated that, based on the ideal of “one nation, two states,” the friendly and brotherly nation of Azerbaijan is on its way to becoming one of Türkiye’s largest tourism markets, and said that the tourism volume between the two countries could reach 1.8 million tourists.
Tourism activities between Türkiye and Azerbaijan were discussed at a workshop held in Baku. Organized in cooperation with the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, the Association of Turkish Hoteliers, and Turkish Airlines under the coordination of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and carried out with the Alaska Tourism organization, the workshop revealed the potential of the mutual tourism market between the two countries.
Türkiye is the first choice
TÜROB President Müberra Eresin, whose views were included in the outcome report prepared by TÜROB following the Baku Workshop, said: “The fact that the number of visitors coming to Türkiye from the brotherly nation of Azerbaijan, with a population of approximately 10 million, is approaching pre-pandemic figures is a result of our brotherhood.” Eresin continued: “In 2022, approximately 700,000 of our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters came to Türkiye. We anticipate that this number will reach 1 million in a short time. In 2022, Türkiye was the first choice of Azerbaijani citizens traveling abroad. Last year, 315,000 tourists went from Türkiye to Azerbaijan. Türkiye is among the top 5 countries sending the most tourists to Azerbaijan. This shows how important Türkiye is for Azerbaijan’s tourism, just as Azerbaijan is for Türkiye. Azerbaijan has the potential to host even more tourists from Türkiye, as it offers significant infrastructure and superstructure opportunities for Turkish visitors in many areas, particularly gastronomy, summer and winter tourism, cultural tourism, and health tourism. To activate this important potential, we will further increase our mutual cooperation and promotional efforts with our Azerbaijani colleagues. We are open to all kinds of cooperation to reach the figure of 1,850,000, which we have set as our target for Azerbaijan’s tourism potential.
To activate this important potential, we will further increase our mutual cooperation and promotional efforts with our Azerbaijani colleagues. For this event, I would first like to thank the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency. In addition, I would especially like to thank Mr. İmran Bagiyev, who brought all our colleagues together at our event.”
There was strong participation
Türkiye’s Ambassador to Baku, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cahit Bağcı, also noted that with the level Turkish hotel management has reached, our country is today a true source of pride, and said: “Undoubtedly, given the level Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations have reached today, this is a form of relationship that sets an example for the world and is unparalleled between the two countries. The task that falls to us, and to all those working in every sector, is to generate synergy from this form of relationship, this understanding, and this approach.”
Hatay Cuisine menu
A total of 41 hotels took part in the workshop held in Baku. At the event, to which approximately 200 of Azerbaijan’s leading travel agencies and tour operators were invited, face-to-face meetings were held. At the event, also attended by Kenan Kasımov, Head of the Office of the Azerbaijan Tourism Agency, Goydaniz Gahramanov, President of the Azerbaijan Travel Agencies Association, Eldar Alimuradov, President of the Azerbaijan Hoteliers Association, and Hamid Eldeleklioğlu, THY Baku Manager, wishes and expectations regarding the development of tourism between the two countries were shared. Meanwhile, as 21-27 May was celebrated as “Turkish Cuisine Week” under a project launched by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, dishes prepared from the “Hatay Cuisine” menu were served at the gala night of the Baku Workshop.
Number of tourists coming to our country from Azerbaijan
Year……….Number of tourists from Azerbaijan (thousand people)
2013……….630
2014……….657
2015……….602
2016……….606
2017……….765
2018……….858
2019……….901
2020……….236
2021……….470
2022……….683
2022 (first 3 months) ……143
2023 (first 3 months)……..143
Hotels that participated in the workshop
Address İstanbul
Armada Hotel İstanbul
Avantgarde Collection
Barcelo İstanbul
Barın Hotel
Burdock Hotel
Burgu Tango Arjaan by Rotana
Clarion Hotel Golden Horn
Crowne Plaza İstanbul Florya
Eresin Hotels
Fairmont Quasar İstanbul
Grand Cevahir Hotel
Grand Hilarium Hotel
Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel&Conference Center
Hilton İstanbul Maslak
Istanbul Marriott Hotel Sisli
JW Marriott Hotel İstanbul Marmara Sea
Lazzoni Hotel İstanbul
Le Meridien İstanbul Etiler
NG Sapanca
Novotel&Ibis Hotel
Pera Palace Hotel
Point Hotel Barbaros
Radisson Blu Şişli
Radisson Residences Vadistanbul
Ramada Encore By Wyndham Bayrampaşa
Sheraton İstanbul City Center
Sim Hotel
Swissôtel Büyük Efes, İzmir
Swissôtel The Bosphorus
The Elysium Taksim
The Marmara Taksim
The Ritz Carlton
The Stay Hotels
Tria Hotel İstanbul
Westin Hotel
Wish More Hotel İstanbul
WOW Hotel
Wyndham Grand İstanbul Levent
Yaşmak Hotel Collection
Yunak Evleri Cave Hotel