Tourist traffic from India to Azerbaijan on rise

When Azerbaijan Airlines launched direct flights connecting Baku with Delhi, last year, the twice-a-week flights appear to have gained in popularity with Indians, Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) said.

Report informs, citing the Times of India, that tourist arrivals from India into Azerbaijan jumped from 39,000 in 2018 to 65,000 arrivals in 2019.

Though the direct flights have stopped for now, the tourist traffic from India will only be on the rise, according to Azerbaijan Tourism Board which expects 30% jump on tourist arrivals this year. If airlines launch direct flights, then the numbers would double, said Sengstschmid, who was in Mumbai on Monday.

Azerbaijan gets the majority of its tourists from metros like Delhi, Mumbai, followed by Bengaluru, Ahmedabad. ATB officials say this December and January, Baku has witnessed a sizable presence of Indian tourists.

“India is a key market for us with immense potential due to its high number of international travelers and growing interest in the Caucasus region. With strong cultural and historical touchpoints between both countries and a simplified electronic visa process that can be done in under three hours, we aim to welcome many more Indians to discover Azerbaijan’s many offerings.”