Azerbaijan tourism target: 5 million visitors annually

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. It is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west and Iran to the south. The exclave of Nakhchivan is bounded by Armenia to the north and east, Iran to the south and west, while having a short borderline with Turkey to the northwest.

Azerbaijan has an ancient and historic cultural heritage, including the distinction of being the first Muslim-majority country to have operas, theater and plays

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan, following the results of its activity in 2013, the tourists sector has grown more than twice over recent 10 years.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was established in 1918, but was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920 as the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. Azerbaijan regained independence in 1991. Shortly thereafter, during the Nagorno-Karabakh War, neighboring Armenia occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, its surrounding territories and the enclaves of Karki, Yukhary Askipara, Barkhudarly and Sofulu. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic emerged in Nagorno-Karabakh after the ceasefire of 1994 and is not diplomatically recognized by any other state. As such, the region, effectively independent since the end of the war, is considered de jure a part of Azerbaijan.

With its target to bring the tourists flow up to 5 million tourists annually received 2.3 million tourists in 2013.

“Thus, 1.013 million foreigners visited Azerbaijan in 2003 and in 2013 their number reached 2.300 people. 2012 was the peak year in respect of tourists flow into the country, as it was the year when Baku hosted the Euro vision song contest (2.484 million people)”, – the Ministry reported.

The Ministry also informed that the number of Azerbaijan citizens leaving the country in 2003 was 1,376 people and in 2013 their number reached 3.950 people.

The population size of Azerbaijan exceeds 9 million people.

Azerbaijan tourism target: 5 million visitors annually