Development of tourism in Caspian is matter of time

Tourism is one of the main elements of the non-petroleum sector of the Azerbaijani economy. The republic is developing transportation infrastructure, communal services, hotels. The geographic position of Azerbaijan presupposes organization of all kinds of tourism. Experts say that the coastal recreational areas of the Caspian Sea are especially developed in Azerbaijan, cruising and water tourism is developing there.

Sergey Korneyev, vice president of the Russian Tourism Industry Union, told Vestnik Kavkaza that “the Caspian Region is one of the most promising lines in the tourism sector, and the infrastructure of Azerbaijan has all it needs to attract Russian tourists.”

“There is potential interest, it has not been fully covered and realized, but the role of word-of-mouth marketing plays a great role. Turkey for us is the primary tourist route. What were potential tourists thinking about it 20 years ago? Hundred years ago? Nothing! It was an absolutely different situation,” says Sergey Korneyev.

In his words, “Baku is probably one of the best cities for tourists today. It is very comfortable, very modern, and very interesting, in terms of the tourism infrastructure of the city. Tourism will grow, and a lot depends on advertising, promotion. And again a bright example, I remember how active the Baku tourism information center is in its events, its information materials. I believe that the Caspian coast will develop as a new world-level tourist resort of the 21st century. It is only a matter of time,” assumes Korneyev.

Evidently, projects of cruising tourism in the Caspian Sea may face the problem of the unsettled status of the sea. But experts see opportunities for development of combined cruising tourism by blending sea and river maritime cruises, ships from the Mediterranean and the Black Seas could enter the Caspian through canals, visiting Caspian states during the navigation season. It would cover the informative part of journeys in several countries, especially considering the nature of the sandy beaches of the Caspian Sea, the mineral waters and therapeutic mud. This provides great opportunities for recreation and treatment.

Sergey Korneyev: “Infrastructure of Azerbaijan has all it needs to attract Russian tourists”Tourism is one of the main elements of the non-petroleum sector of the Azerbaijani economy. The republic is developing transportation infrastructure, communal services, hotels. The geographic position of Azerbaijan presupposes organization of all kinds of tourism. Experts say that the coastal recreational areas of the Caspian Sea are especially developed in Azerbaijan, cruising and water tourism is developing there.Sergey Korneyev, vice president of the Russian Tourism Industry Union, told Vestnik Kavkaza that “the Caspian Region is one of the most promising lines in the tourism sector, and the infrastructure of Azerbaijan has all it needs to attract Russian tourists.”“There is potential interest, it has not been fully covered and realized, but the role of word-of-mouth marketing plays a great role. Turkey for us is the primary tourist route. What were potential tourists thinking about it 20 years ago? Hundred years ago? Nothing! It was an absolutely different situation,” says Sergey Korneyev.In his words, “Baku is probably one of the best cities for tourists today. It is very comfortable, very modern, and very interesting, in terms of the tourism infrastructure of the city. Tourism will grow, and a lot depends on advertising, promotion. And again a bright example, I remember how active the Baku tourism information center is in its events, its information materials. I believe that the Caspian coast will develop as a new world-level tourist resort of the 21st century. It is only a matter of time,” assumes Korneyev.Evidently, projects of cruising tourism in the Caspian Sea may face the problem of the unsettled status of the sea. But experts see opportunities for development of combined cruising tourism by blending sea and river maritime cruises, ships from the Mediterranean and the Black Seas could enter the Caspian through canals, visiting Caspian states during the navigation season. It would cover the informative part of journeys in several countries, especially considering the nature of the sandy beaches of the Caspian Sea, the mineral waters and therapeutic mud. This provides great opportunities for recreation and treatme