Kanan Guluzada: Israeli–Iranian tensions may have negative impact on tourism in region

Geopolitical tensions in the region, especially the growing conflict between Israel and Iran, may have a negative impact on tourism in Azerbaijan and the region as a whole, Kanan Guluzada, acting head of the Apparatus of the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan, told Report.

He explained that the tourism sector is one of the most sensitive to both global and regional developments: "We saw this during the pandemic — tourism was the hardest-hit industry. Tensions stemming from the Russian–Ukrainian conflict also affected the sector, with a drop in flights to Russia, which is a key market for us."

Guluzada stressed that Israel and Iran are also important tourist markets for Azerbaijan: "Iran is among the top five contributors of tourists to Azerbaijan. The visit of Israeli tourists signals a country's stability and safety. In recent years, there's been a steady flow of tourists from Israel. However, further crises may arise against the backdrop of growing tensions."

He added that the government of Azerbaijan and the State Tourism Agency are developing new markets taking these risks into account: "The aim is to reduce dependency on markets experiencing crises and to keep the tourism flow balanced. For example, in the first five months of this year, the number of tourists visiting Azerbaijan grew by 1.5%. This growth was primarily driven by markets in Central Asia, the Far East, and China."

The acting head also mentioned that the flow of tourists from some Arab countries is resuming: "Arab tourists typically travel to a particular destination for 3–5 years before looking for something new. Currently, we're seeing the start of a new wave from these countries. Some have grown by 1.3 times."

Guluzada stressed that India is currently the third-largest contributor of tourists to Azerbaijan, although the recent tensions have resulted in a slight drop in this market.

"Overall, the trajectory is positive. The Azerbaijan tourism sector has already recovered from the 1% decline at the start of the year," he concluded.