Whatever we have, our brother has too: the Azerbaijan tourism market races toward 1 million...

With approximately 800,000 tourists a year, Turkey has become Azerbaijan's most preferred country for tourism. TÜROB President Müberra Eresin said that the two countries hold significant mutual potential in tourism. Eresin noted that they aim to raise the tourism volume between the two countries to 1.5 million tourists within a short period.

Drawing on the ideal of 'one nation, two states,' Turkey has become the most preferred country for tourism for the friendly and brotherly nation of Azerbaijan. While the two countries promise great mutual potential in tourism, the Azerbaijan tourism market has begun to take its place among our largest tourism markets. With approximately 800,000 people travelling from Azerbaijan to Turkey each year for tourism purposes, Turkey ranked first among the countries most visited by Azerbaijanis. It is projected that the tourism volume between the two countries could reach 1.5 million tourists in the short term.

The workshop organized in Baku by the Association of Turkish Hoteliers (TÜROB), with the contributions and cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, THY, the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, the Tourism Development and Education Foundation, and the Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau, revealed the potential of the Azerbaijan tourism market. The event, an example of the thematic workshop series carried out by TÜROB in target markets to increase tourist numbers and tourism revenues, drew strong participation from both Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Now is the time to make up for neglect

Offering an assessment on the matter, TÜROB President Müberra Eresin emphasized that the tourism markets of the two countries are mutually open to major collaborations and carry significant potential, saying: "Around 800,000 Azerbaijanis come to Turkey. And around 300,000 people travel from Turkey. At our most recent workshop, we realized that, precisely because our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters are so close to us, it has been a market we have somewhat neglected in terms of promotion. Now is the time to make up for that neglect. We must further increase mutual cooperation and promotional efforts in tourism. In this way, tourist numbers can multiply in a short time."

Pointing out that 5.8 million people travel abroad each year from Azerbaijan, which has a population of approximately 10 million, Eresin said: "Turkey ranks first in the order of preference for travel for tourism purposes. It is followed by Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Georgia and Ukraine. Azerbaijani tourists come to Turkey primarily for holidays, shopping, health and education. They are also above average in terms of spending. For this reason, we expect the event we have organized, in addition to strengthening the existing friendship and brotherhood between the two countries, to make significant contributions to tourism relations."

Tourism professionals from both countries flocked to the event

A total of 37 hotels from Istanbul, Sakarya/Sapanca, Kayseri and Izmir 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. Following the networking session, in the speeches delivered at the opening of the gala programme, which was held with strong participation, by Azerbaijan Health and Thermal Tourism Association President Ruslan Guliyev, Association of Turkish Hoteliers President Müberra Eresin, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Board Member and TUGEV Deputy President Bahadır Yaşık, Istanbul Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Dr. Coşkun Yılmaz, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Baku Culture and Promotion Counsellor İrfan Çiftçi, and Baku Ambassador Erkan Özoral, hopes and expectations regarding the development of tourism between the two countries were shared with the participants.

In addition, the event was attended by Azerbaijan State Tourism Office Industry Director Tural İbrahimov, Azerbaijan Travel Agencies Association (ATAA) President Rufat Hajiyev, Azerbaijan Tourism Enterprises Association President Nahid Bagirov, Azerbaijan Hoteliers Association Secretary General Gunay Sağlam and Azerbaijan Health and Thermal Tourism Association President Ruslan Guliyev, as well as numerous guests and members of the press.

Number of tourists arriving in our country from Azerbaijan             

2017                2018                2019*

TURKEY    659.176           743.695           780.107

ISTANBUL   216.162           249.063           204.498

(*first 10 months)