Azerbaijan positions itself as a hub between East and West Tourism as diplomacy

The past year marked a significant milestone for inbound tourism in Azerbaijan, which recorded a remarkable growth rate of nearly 26%—more than double the global average. This surge highlights the country’s growing appeal as a destination at the crossroads of East and West.

Key achievements in the tourism and recreation sector, along with future priorities such as increasing tourist inflow from Europe and integrating climate action into tourism policy, were the focus of the 71st meeting of the UN European Regional Commission for Tourism, recently held in Baku.

At the event, the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan formally announced the country’s candidacy for the Executive Council of the European Regional Commission for the 2025–2029 term, underscoring its ambition to play a more prominent role in shaping regional tourism policy.

In January of this year, during Azerbaijan’s participation in the international tourism exhibition FITUR in Madrid, the leadership of the State Tourism Agency held consultations at the UNWTO headquarters to discuss hosting the 71st session of the UN World Tourism Organization’s European Regional Commission in Baku, scheduled for 4–6 June 2025. The final decision to convene the session in the Azerbaijani capital was officially confirmed at the 70th meeting of the Commission, held on 8 April 2025 in Tirana, Albania.

Azerbaijan has maintained a long-standing and successful partnership with UNWTO institutions, particularly its European division, with the aim of promoting the country’s tourism potential in European markets. Ongoing discussions with the organisation currently focus on Azerbaijan’s candidacy for the UNWTO Executive Council for the 2025–2029 term, as well as joint initiatives under the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, which Azerbaijan endorsed last year during “Tourism Day” at COP29. The talks also cover expanded cooperation in tourism education and the country’s upcoming application for the “Best Tourism Village” designation.

“Azerbaijan has been a member of the UNWTO European Commission since 2001, and this year we are putting forward our candidacy for the 2025–2029 term. The elections are taking place here today, and we look forward to continued cooperation and fruitful joint efforts in the years ahead. During its membership, Azerbaijan has served on the Executive Council three times and even held the chairmanship in 2017,” said Fuad Nagiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, speaking at the 71st session of the UNWTO European Regional Commission in Baku.

Notably, nine countries are competing for five seats on the Commission’s Executive Council. Alongside Azerbaijan, the candidates include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Greece, and several other nations.

According to Fuad Nagiyev, Azerbaijan has made significant progress in recent years in developing its recreational sector. Notably, the country’s tourism classification system has been expanded to include the territories recently liberated from occupation. The head of the State Tourism Agency also highlighted that in 2024, the tourism sector contributed 4.5% to the national GDP, with positive growth anticipated to continue throughout 2025. Today, Azerbaijan stands out as a unique bridge between Europe and the broader region, attracting a growing number of international visitors.

“Expansion of direct air connections, simplified e-visa procedures, and a welcoming environment have strengthened Azerbaijan’s status as a bridge between Europe and the region,” emphasized Fuad Nagiyev. “In turn, hosting the UN climate conference — COP29 in Baku — has expanded our country’s international role in the tourism sector. Thanks to Azerbaijan’s partnership with UNWTO, tourism issues were included on the climate conference agenda for the first time last year. The flagship initiative — the ‘COP29 Declaration on Strengthening Climate Action in Tourism’ — received support from more than 70 countries worldwide, including several European states.”

These achievements are recognised by leading international specialised organisations. In particular, UNWTO Executive Director Natalia Bayona noted in Baku that Azerbaijan proudly preserves and develops its traditions and cultural heritage, while also playing a key role in UN Tourism activities: “Azerbaijan is a member of the Executive Council—our main governing body—and has established itself as a reliable and effective partner, successfully organising international conferences under the auspices of the United Nations.”

The State Tourism Agency’s efforts to deepen cooperation with the UNWTO and its European division are part of a long-term strategic vision. The European inbound tourism market traditionally falls into the premium segment, and Azerbaijani authorities have been working steadily for several years to tap into this potential. The most notable success came in the prosperous year of 2019, when Azerbaijan welcomed a total of 3.2 million foreign tourists, with European visitors increasing by 14.7% to 224,000.

However, the growth of European tourist traffic slowed in the following years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, regional conflicts, and a series of economic challenges. Despite these setbacks, ongoing efforts by the State Tourism Agency and the Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau to promote the country’s tourism offerings at specialised exhibitions, forums, and expanded marketing campaigns across Europe have produced strong results. For instance, in 2024, tourist arrivals from European Union countries reached 112,300—a significant 34.9% increase compared to the previous year.

Overall, Azerbaijan’s tourism sector, which was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, has managed to recover more than 80% of its pre-crisis levels. A significant breakthrough was achieved last year, with nearly 2.627 million foreign nationals and stateless persons from 196 countries visiting Azerbaijan—an increase of 25.9% compared to the previous year. Moreover, the total spending by foreign tourists in the country exceeded $5.1 billion.

For comparison, according to UNWTO data, international tourism grew by 11% worldwide last year, meaning Azerbaijan’s growth rate was two and a half times higher than the global average.

It is still too early to predict the full dynamics of incoming tourism for the current year, as the long summer holiday season lies ahead. However, at the recent meeting of the UNWTO European Regional Commission held in Baku, Kanan Guluzade, Acting Head of the Office of the State Tourism Agency, reported that from January to May 2025, Azerbaijan welcomed 979,963 foreign tourists. Overall tourist arrivals grew by 1.5% during this period, with the growth rate rising to 2% in May alone.