Florian Sengstschmid: Tourism sector legislation needs to be updated in Azerbaijan

Recent changes in Azerbaijan's tourism sector have made updating existing legislation necessary, according to Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) under the State Tourism Agency, Report informs.

Speaking at the event, Unlocking Azerbaijan's Tourism Potential for Economic Growth and Diversification, in Baku, Sengstschmid noted that while the Law on Tourism, adopted in 2021, contributed significantly to the sector's development, it now requires an upgrade.

"Our assessment today is that, given the processes of the past year, updating the law has become essential. After the adoption of the State Program, it is planned to make appropriate amendments to the 'Law on Tourism' to ensure the implementation of the measures envisaged in the program," he noted.

The CEO added that since 2018, consistent reforms have been carried out to build a sustainable and competitive tourism ecosystem in Azerbaijan. These include the creation of a new tourism law, a standardization system, hotel star classification, a hotel association, and certification mechanisms for tour guides.