The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan has concluded its historic roadshows and gala dinners in Qatar and Kuwait.

The roadshows were aimed at strengthening relations between Azerbaijan and the GCC nations, developing co-operation in the field of travel and tourism and to disseminate information about tourism in order to diversify Azerbaijan’s dependence on oil and gas, as the development of tourism is currently a key priority for Azerbaijan.

The gala dinner guests included representatives from government offices, dignitaries, diplomats, VIP’s, media professionals, pioneers, experts and leaders of the travel industry.

Abulfas Garayev, the minister for culture and tourism of Azerbaijan, said: “We are proud that known destinations like Baku, Gabala, Sheki and Shahdag are well explored by travelers but I’ll also like to recommend places like Lankaran and the village of Ballabur. It is a beautiful valley with waterfalls and small rivers running through and restaurants by the river banks. It is a steep valley and goes deep into the forest. You can find spots there where you can jettison, Wi-Fi and experience nature from so close. And the facilities there are state-of-the-art. There’s an international airport in Lankaran and driving from Baku to Lankaran would take you just four hours,”

Azerbaijan is a country that has enjoyed independence for 25 years and during this period, he said: “It has achieved many goals in economic development. The vision of the country changed tremendously during these years and we consider that the independence achieved by the citizens of Azerbaijan brought us a totally new understanding to present our culture, traditions, goodwill to the entire world.”

The minister spoke about the importance of the Middle East, particularly the GCC states for Azerbaijan’s tourism. He shared all his best experiences working in cooperation with Qatar and Kuwait.

“The Government of Azerbaijan has lifted advance visa requirement for citizens of the five GCC countries, as well as Japan, Malaysia, China, South Korea and Singapore. Now visas are given upon arrival for the GCC nationals. This is a milestone in our relationship with these countries,” Garayev told the media.

He added: “We are on schedule to visit several Gulf countries. We believe that more engagement with the GCC people will enable us further strengthen our relations.”

Rashid Al Noori, chairman of the representative office of the ministry of culture and tourism of Azerbaijan in the GCC presented Azerbaijan’s travel and tourism portfolio and highlighted the importance of these roadshows. He said that the roadshows help deliver the minister’s message to a wider audience and to welcome GCC nationals to Azerbaijan.
 
“Azerbaijan boasts of medical, cognitive, hunting, exotic, beach and gastronomic adventures. It houses world’s renowned hotels, recreation, entertainment and sports centers. It has all the necessary elements for a tourist country; hospitality, rich cultural heritage, serene landscapes, delectable cuisine and a favorable geographical location.” - TradeArabia News Service

Rashid said: “With the supervision of the ministry, several travel programmes have been created to enable more people to explore several places in the stunning Republic of Azerbaijan. These programmes have been created especially for the upcoming summer holidays for the families of the GCC nationals.” - TradeArabia News Service