Forbes: Baku and Formula 1 became a perfect match

Baku. 28 July. REPORT.AZ/ "Azerbaijan hosts interesting events and has a great number of attractions," reads the article published in Forbes.

"East meets West. Throughout history, many places claimed to be the space of this momentous exchange. Few have more merit than the nation of Azerbaijan and its capital Baku," the author of the article cites. 

The article cites that Baku has hosted the massively popular Eurovision Song Contest in 2012 and the inaugural European Games organized by the European Olympic Committee in 2015. This year it welcomed athletes from fifty-six Middle Eastern, Asian and African countries for the Islamic Solidarity Games. To keep the momentum going, Formula One race, Azerbaijan Fashion Week and Nowruz Festival are among top projects competing to draw over two million visitors to Baku.

Fuad Naghiyev, the director of the recently launched National Tourism Promotion Bureau, said in an interview with Forbes that Azerbaijan has simplified the visa regime for 90+ countries: “Now, you can apply and get a visa online in just under 3 hours,” Fuad Naghiyev noted.

"Since country’s independence in 1991, historic investments and discovery of large gas reserves positioned Azerbaijan as a global fossil fuel pioneer again. Formula One is a multi-billion-dollar enterprise and some of its power is poised for crossover. Baku and F1 became a perfect match," the author highlights recalling that a new record of 378 km/h (235 mph) was registered during Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.

"Those who have visited the country, tend to encourage others and return with family and friends to re-discover Azerbaijan," author concludes.