The State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan (DTA) is taking necessary steps to develop tourism in the country, especially in the liberated areas. Today, there is a growing demand for "MICE tourism," which is not yet developed in Azerbaijan.
The official statement also says that the DTA and other relevant agencies are working to develop this tourism product in the liberated areas.
"MICE" is an abbreviation of the English words meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions.
Commenting on the importance of MICE tourism and its benefits to Azerbaijan, Ahmad Gurbanov, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Tourism Association (AzTA), said that the country has great potential in this area.
"MICE tourism is new in Azerbaijan. It was introduced some time before the pandemic. But it did not become so popular. The development of inbound tourism has also increased the interest in this tourism product, and tourists from various countries coming to Azerbaijan for business purposes also work with this type of tourism. By MICE, we mean mainly business tourism. Conferences, congresses, business forums, etc., are held within its framework. The opening of the Congress Center in Azerbaijan was also a great impetus for MICE Tourism. It was possible to implement various proposals from abroad at the Congress Center, and it could be done en masse before the pandemic.
Such events can be held in other conference halls in the country. At the same time, business hotels also create conditions for business people to come for this purpose. Of course, meeting and serving business people in business hotels is also an integral part of MICE Tourism."
The AzTA official noted the importance of this type of tourism in promoting the liberated territories and attracting investment: "After the liberation of our lands from occupation, the extensive infrastructure and urban development work carried out there continues at full speed. As you know, it is planned to build three airports in Karabakh, one of which has already been opened and is ready for use. We want to introduce many types of tourism in the liberated areas. MICE tourism is one of them.
Əgər biz “MICE turizmi”ni inkişaf etdirmək istəyiriksə həm azad edilmiş ərazilərdə, həm Bakıda, həm də ölkənin digər yerlərində otellərin tiplərini bir qədər artıraq. Bu gün ölkəmizdə olan 4 və 5 ulduzlu hotellərin sayı daha da artmalıdır. Təbii ki, biz “MICE turizm”ni tətbiq edərkən iş adamlarının tələblərinə cavab verən hotellərimiz daha çox olmalıdır. Həmçinin həmin hotellər də bu tip görüşləri keçirmək üçün müxtəlif konfrans zallarına malik olmalıdır. Hesab edirəm ki, pandemiyadan sonra bu turizm məhsuluna olan tələbat daha da artacaq və biz isə bunun üçün üzərimizə düşən işləri həll etməliyik”.
As the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated, it is necessary to attract various foreign investors and develop Karabakh. In this regard, one of the types of tourism we should apply in liberated areas is MICE tourism. After completing the reconstruction, the construction, and commissioning of new hotels there, we will witness the introduction of this type of tourism. Investors mean holding conferences and various events there, which contributes to the good reputation of these areas in the world. It will also allow investors to see the potential there. In this regard, tourism companies must work hard. This should be taken into account in the construction of hotels in the liberated areas, as well as the professionalism of tourism companies.
If we want to develop MICE tourism, we must increase the types of hotels in the liberated areas, in Baku, and elsewhere in the country. Today, the number of 4 and 5-star hotels in our country should increase. Of course, when we implement MICE tourism, we should have more hotels that meet the requirements of business people. These hotels should also have different conference halls for such meetings. I think that after the pandemic, the demand for this tourism product will increase, and we must do what have to do."