Excitement mounts for COP29 as Azerbaijan's vibrant tourism sector pledges to succeed New era for country's hospitality

The 29th session of COP 29, which will take place in Azerbaijan in 2024, will become an important international platform for discussion of topical issues in the field of ecological, climatic and "green" energy development. Various structures of our country are studying the world experience of COP forums and consulting on organisational issues in anticipation of this important event. According to forecasts, about 70-80 thousand foreign guests will arrive in Baku during COP29, and their accommodation and service will put a special responsibility on the recreational and hotel potential of the country, especially the capital. The forum of tourism industry entities held the day before in Baku under the title "The results of the year on issues and tasks of the tourism industry on the eve of COP29" was devoted to the tasks ahead.

"As the president of COP29, the country will play a special role and the course of the processes will largely depend on our position. Azerbaijan has already received cooperation proposals from several countries, we are ready to cooperate with all states and this will be a great experience for us," said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in an interview with Azerbaijani TV channels on January 11. The head of state also stressed that COP29 is the most important international conference in the world, including in terms of attention from the global community.

Several state structures and public organisations have already been involved in the preparations for the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. At the end of December last year, the head of state issued a decree declaring 2024 to be the "Year of Solidarity for a Green World" and instructing the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan to prepare proposals for a plan of action in this regard and submit them to the president of the country within one month.

This decision was taken to strengthen international solidarity in the global fight against climate change, as stated in the document. Azerbaijan is making a significant contribution to combating the effects of climate change by working to improve the environment, restore and increase green areas, and ensure efficient use of water resources and renewable energy sources (RES). Its targets include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 35 per cent by 2030 and 40 per cent by 2050. Karabakh and East Zangezur, liberated from occupation, as well as the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, have been declared green energy zones, and innovative approaches such as "smart city" and "smart village" with RES elements are being applied here, and the ecosystem is being restored. The text of the order emphasises that the unanimous decision to hold such a prestigious event as the COP29 conference in Azerbaijan in 2024 shows the great respect and trust the international community has for the country.

It should be noted that the organisation of the COP29 Conference in Baku and the events held within the framework of this forum will require the coordinated work of all state structures to ensure effective organisational work, as well as the reception of a significant number of foreign guests. In mid-December last year, President Ilham Aliyev spoke about the tasks ahead in this regard at a meeting dedicated to the organisation of COP29. Noting that Azerbaijan has hosted many international events, the President recalled the recent International Astronautical Congress, which was held with great success.

Over the past decade and a half, Azerbaijan has gained considerable experience in holding international forums of various kinds, including spectacular events, music festivals, sports competitions, and judging by the feedback from foreign guests, all this is becoming a good reason for fans and supporters from different regions of the world to come to the country. One such event is Teknofest Azerbaijan, an aerospace and technology festival that was held in Baku in 2022 and was attended by thousands of foreigners from 33 countries. No less significant in this regard are the annual Formula One races - the Azerbaijan Grand Prix - held in Baku, which gather together fans from around the world.

"However, COP29 cannot be compared to previous events. Even if we remember the European Games, there were five thousand athletes and about three thousand accompanying guests. But tens of thousands of foreign representatives will come to our country for COP29, and for two weeks Baku will become the centre of the world. According to some estimates, about 70-80 thousand foreign guests will stay in our country during this period," the head of state stressed.

Our country will succeed in this difficult task, there is no doubt about it. In terms of the number of five-star hotels of famous brands, high-quality recreational areas and restaurants, mountain and balneological resorts, and modern regional airports, our country is one of the leaders in the Caspian region. Azerbaijan has a relatively well-developed tourist infrastructure, including over 600 hotels and hotel-type facilities, more than a quarter of which are located in the capital and its environs. It should be noted that the development of inbound (outbound) tourism is identified as a key objective for the country, and this vector is considered a key direction of the non-oil sector. According to the "Socio-Economic Development Strategy of Azerbaijan for 2022-2026", the share of the tourism sector in the country's non-oil GDP is to be increased by 1.5 times compared to 2019, and the share of revenues from the industry is to increase by a further 20 per cent in the coming years. According to the calculations of the State Agency for Tourism of Azerbaijan (SATA), the number of inbound tourists to the country is expected to reach 4 million in the next four years, and the number of local holidaymakers in the country - up to 6 million.

Aspects of preparations for the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Azerbaijan were discussed at a forum of tourism industry entities held the day before in Baku on the theme "The results of the year on the issues and tasks of the tourism industry on the eve of COP29". Speaking at the forum, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Travel Agencies of Azerbaijan (ATAA) Goydeniz Gahramanov recalled that the number of foreigners visiting the republic has increased more than three times over the past 20 years. "At the same time, the number of overnight stays in hotels and hostels has increased by almost 8 times, the number of employees in the tourism sector by 6.5 times and the total employment by 4.1 times," said the head of ATAA.

The above facts are a testimony to the presence in the country of a vast potential of recreational and human resources and considerable experience in the field of accommodation and services for a significant number of foreign guests. "Azerbaijan will host such a prestigious forum as COP29, and only influential, proactive, stable and secure states are trusted to organise events of this scale. We, as representatives of the tourism industry, must be ready for this event, ensure that it is held at the highest level so that guests return home with positive impressions of Azerbaijan," Gahramanov said. The head of the association also stressed that COP29 should be seen as an opportunity to accelerate the development of tourism.

And apparently, the COP29 forum will play the role of a driving force to stimulate the development of recreational infrastructure. "It is expected that several international hotel brands will start operating in Azerbaijan this year, and the number of hotel rooms in the country will increase. Among others, we will soon see international hotel chains in the Karabakh region. We believe that a new era in Azerbaijan's hospitality and hotel industry will begin in 2024," said another participant at the Baku forum, Eldar Alimuradov, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Hotels Association. He also stressed that attracting international brands to the country plays an important role in training hospitality professionals.