According to the January report of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) “World Tourism Barometer” (WTB Annex 18), Azerbaijan has been recognized as one of the 20 fastest-growing countries in global tourism. The report is published quarterly and compiles the latest data on tourism destinations.

Nərmin Kazımlı, an analyst at the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications (CAERC), notes that earlier data from the “International Tourism Highlights 2019” report showed a 6.2% increase in the total number of tourists visiting Azerbaijan in 2018 compared to 2017. When compared regionally, Azerbaijan outpaced countries such as Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine, and also surpassed developed European nations including Spain, France, Austria, and Germany. In 2019, Azerbaijan achieved 18th place among the fastest-growing tourism markets worldwide, recording an 11.4% growth rate. The report highlights that hosting major sporting events, simplifying visa procedures, and implementing international media campaigns have promoted tourism growth. Key measures include updating service packages, effectively promoting diverse types of tourism activities, and systematically developing physical and social regional tourism infrastructure. Investments in health tourism, winter tourism, and ecotourism, leveraging both traditional and modern therapeutic resources, have also contributed to tourism’s increasing share of GDP and the creation of new jobs.

Kazımlı emphasizes that tourism is a priority sector for the development of the non-oil economy. According to international methodologies, Azerbaijan’s advantageous geographic location, enhanced air connectivity, rich historical and cultural heritage, and attractive natural landscapes provide significant potential for promoting local values internationally. Support for the tourism sector has led to the establishment of 60 new hotels and hotel-type facilities from 2015 to 2018, while the number of local and foreign tourists using related services increased by 991,330. Public-private partnerships, with a primary role for foreign investment and adherence to ecological sustainability principles, have made tourism a key driver of regional development and positioned Azerbaijan as a leading destination internationally.

The report also notes that despite challenges such as Brexit, geopolitical and trade tensions, global economic slowdown, and accidents involving several low-cost airlines in Europe, international tourist arrivals grew by 4% in 2019, reaching 1.5 billion. Central Asia saw the highest growth at 8%, followed by Asia and the Pacific at 5%. Over the past nine years, Europe, including Azerbaijan, recorded a 4% increase in tourist flows.

UNWTO predicts that global international tourist arrivals will maintain positive growth of 3–4% in 2020. According to CAERC analysts, Azerbaijan continues to implement comprehensive reforms to enhance the tourism market and improve the quality of tourism services, under the leadership of the President. Key initiatives include the organization of the “Travel Business Azerbaijan 2020” conference in Baku by the Azerbaijan Tourism Board and the State Tourism Agency, where around 500 local tourism exhibitors will present 1,200 tourism products to 400 international and local buyers. In 2018, the Azerbaijan Tourism Board also opened six new national tourism offices in Germany, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, China, Russia, and India to promote the country’s tourism potential, with four additional offices planned in the coming years, including locations in the UK and South Korea.

These efforts have significantly contributed to Azerbaijan’s tourism sector development. Reflecting these achievements, the World Economic Forum’s 2019 report “The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report” ranked Azerbaijan 28th in business environment for tourism, up from 57th in the previous report, earning the country recognition as “the world’s most improved country in terms of the business environment for tourism.”