Tourism Board (ATB) is participating at WTM 2022 in London to reconnect with tourism partners in the UK. Together with 24 industry partners, including Azerbaijan Airlines, hotels and tourism agencies, Azerbaijan is presenting myriads of travel experiences – from hiking to lush nature and wellness experiences at the best resorts, and from emerging award-winning wine experiences to delicious traditional cuisine and culture.
“We are excited to be back at WTM in London, attending one of the biggest tourism exhibitions in the world to share the news of the tourism sector in Azerbaijan,” said Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board. “We are actively implementing our strategy on attracting more tourists back and creating better, sustainable tourism experiences by putting the uniqueness of the destination and its people at the core of everything we do.”
Sustainable tourism experiences have been a big part of ATB’s strategy as a way to suit the expectations of modern travellers, as well as focusing on the preservation and reinforcement of the existing resources of Azerbaijan.
One of the best examples of the sustainable tourism projects in Azerbaijan is Slow Food Travel which has been developed and implemented within the framework of an EU-funded project together with ATB and Slow Food International. Tourists can have this authentic experience across the North-West Route, getting acquainted with about 60 local partners and their products, merging gastronomic experience and day-to-day life in Azerbaijan. Tourists may choose alternatives to hotels or hostels and stay over at local farms where they can gain first-hand experience and participate in local festivals.
Another addition to tourism in Azerbaijan is the 16 hiking routes, passing through wild nature into mountain villages, treating every visitor to the astonishing views. One of the best parts of trips to the regions of Azerbaijan is how well the routes are planned as each hiking destination is close to a city, village or important sightseeing spot, making it easier to plan your post-hike programme. Hiking enthusiasts can find the GPS details for the hiking trails on international apps such as Wikiloc and ViewRanger.
Azerbaijan is among the thriving viticultural centres of the region. To celebrate its contribution to promoting viticulture, winemaking and wine tourism, ATB has been granted a number of prizes by the Council of Europe and the European Institute of Cultural Routes. Local bars and restaurants serve all sorts of Azerbaijani wine but, naturally, they taste even better when served at the top of vineyards in the regions paired with local delicacies.
The legacy of the legendary Silk Road is notable in Sheki and the small mountain village of Basgal. The village is known for preserving the tradition of making ‘kelaghayi’, which is the traditional Azerbaijani silk headscarf. For a true nomadic experience, one should follow the route to the village of Khinalig, located on a mountain top 2,350 m above sea level in the Greater Caucasus Mountains. The unique structures of the old stone houses in the village stand as if they almost interweave with each other, turning into one landmark. The fire temple and mosques from the 12th and 15th centuries, as well as other local shrines, create unique scenery which is topped up with scenic mountain views.
At the moment, Azerbaijan is open to more than 100 countries.
To enter the country, British citizens need to apply for an e-visa through evisa.gov.az at least three days before the planned arrival date to Azerbaijan. Flight connections between Baku and London are operated by AZAL Airlines three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
You can find out more about the wonders of this pleasantly surprising country at azerbaijan.travel.
Fatima Akbar
I enjoy writing about Property News, Lifestyle and Entrepreneurship
