This year has been proclaimed a year of tourism in Azerbaijan. In this connection, there are many events scheduled to develop the sphere, which has become one of the most important economic sectors of Azerbaijan after the oil.
By the end of August, the parliament of Azerbaijan will be presented a new draft law "On Tourism". According to the head of the Department for the Development of Domestic Tourism of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Gahramanov Mahir, the new bill has already been considered by the Cabinet and sent for confirmation to the Department of Justice.
First of all, the law will be used to create and improve conditions for the expansion of tourism infrastructure in the country.
To date, Azerbaijan has about five hundred hotels, most of which are located in the regions. The main problem remains the hotel quality / price ratio, which should be brought up to world standards. Very often, lacking competition, the owners of hotels, especially in the regions, offer prices which can scare off potential customers. There is some competition in Baku, but the niche for middle-class hotels is practically empty. To avoid such problems the new law "On Tourism" provides an increase in the number of facilities for tourists, which will undoubtedly have a positive effect on the prices of hotel accommodation.
In addition, the new law will help develop tourism in the regions. Several proposals depend on the work of local travel agencies. The “Action Plan in Conjunction with the Announcement of 2011 the Year of Tourism" approved by President Ilham Aliyev is meant to guide them. Under the plan, small and medium-sized businesses operating in the tourism sector of Azerbaijan will be provided with subsidized loans. Future tourists will be able to buy their tickets at discounted rates. At the same time the visa procedure will be simplified in order to increase the interest of potential tourists in Azerbaijan.
The training of future specialists in the field of tourism is another important point of the new law. Preparation of human resources in the tourism sector in line with international standards will become one of the main directions of development of the tourism industry in the coming years.
All these changes are intended to facilitate promoting the tourist product of Azerbaijan to the international market.
Out of the eleven climate zones of the planet, Azerbaijan has nine. Ancient forests, alpine meadows, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, rivers and the sea offer excellent conditions for eco-tourism, one of the most popular types of tourism in the world. Moreover, Azerbaijan has rich historical and cultural attractions to offer. The natural and historical heritage, together with government support for tourism, are meant to promote the tourist facilities of Azerbaijan.
In addition, projects such as a “single tourist product” as part of the tourism in GUAM countries will help to increase travelling within the organization. Initially, a single tourist product will be aimed at the Japanese market, and will involve the tour operator Vanilla Sky. In the future, tourists from many other countries will have an opportunity to visit four different countries of the GUAM at once, with their different cultures and national traditions.
However, a single travel product is only the first step in the promotion of the tourist potential of the country. Information support for the tourist industry is another important point of the new Azerbaijani law "On Tourism". Participation in international tourism exhibitions, a wide range of travel offers and lower prices on accommodation in Azerbaijan should become priorities for travel companies.
In addition, in future Azerbaijani tourism could benefit from revision of tax policy in the tourism sector. Foreign travel companies wanting to work in Azerbaijan should receive a subsidized tax profile.
Elmira Tariverdieva, Baku. Exclusively for VK.
