Azerbaijan to prepare strategy document for culinary

Work is underway to prepare a strategy document in the culinary field in Azerbaijan, the Chairman of the State Tourism Agency (STA), Fuad Naghiyev, said at the National Culinary Congress held in Baku, Report informs.

According to him, the goal is to develop and promote gastronomic products for tourism.

"Today, gastronomic tourism is developing worldwide, as the number of gastronomic tours is increasing. Tourists searching for new and different flavors taste the cuisine of the countries they visit and even learn how to prepare them. We have various tourism products to offer foreign tourists visiting the country. Azerbaijan has great potential to be recognized as a 'Country of Gastronomy.' Our nature is rich. Favorable climatic conditions and fertile soils affect both the variety and flavor of natural products," he noted.

Nagiyev recalled that in May of this year, the 1st International Culinary Festival, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and STA, was held in Shusha: "Organizing such a festival in Shusha, the pearl of Karabakh, which was heroically liberated by our brave soldiers under the leadership of the Supreme Commander, was a historic event. Culinary samples from 11 countries and 14 regions of Azerbaijan were showcased at the festival. Gastronomy tourism develops harmoniously with regional and agro- and eco-tourism. In this regard, one of the projects supported by the Agency is the 'Expansion of the Community-Based Value Chain in the Great Caucasus Mountains in Azerbaijan' - 'Slow Food' pilot project. The project covered Shamakhi, Ismayilli, Gabala, Shaki, and Gakh. In the future, it may be planned to create such routes along other tourism corridors."