BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 24. The latest Travel &
Tourism Development Index from the World Economic Forum highlights
Azerbaijan’s advancement by seven spots compared to the previous
report, securing the 56th position among 119 countries, the State
Tourism Agency told Trend.
It was highlighted that Azerbaijan has made significant
progress, securing the 2nd highest position among CIS countries
across four key components.
The report, based on data from the end of 2023, indicated growth
in indicators across various areas, including business environment,
safety, health, hygiene, human resources, and labor market, under
the “availability of appropriate environment” component.
Additionally, improvements were noted in international openness,
price competitiveness under “travel and tourism policy and enabling
conditions,” cultural resources under “factors affecting demand for
travel and tourism,” and environmental sustainability and
socio-economic sustainability under the “sustainability of travel
and tourism” component.
Azerbaijan maintained its top ranking in the regular
transmission of travel and tourism statistics to international
databases as of 2021.
Furthermore, according to the Global Terrorism Index, Azerbaijan
advanced 34 positions from the previous report, securing the top
spot as the safest country. Progress was also noted in inbound
tourism across various factors, including seasonality, data
coverage, natural heritage sites, digital payment coverage, and 3G
mobile network coverage.
However, the report also highlights areas for improvement in
Azerbaijan’s tourism sector, such as increasing the number of
short-term rental accommodations, boosting capital investments in
travel and tourism, expanding bilateral agreements on air
transportation services, and ratifying treaties related to
biodiversity, protected natural areas, and environmental
conservation.
To enhance Azerbaijan’s position in the Travel & Tourism
Development Index, a Tourism Development Working Group was
established in October 2022 by the State Tourism Agency, comprising
relevant government bodies and businesses. This initiative, part of
the Business Environment and International Ratings Commission, aims
to coordinate efforts among public and private entities to improve
the country’s ranking in the index. Currently, the group is
drafting a new action plan tailored to modern challenges and
objectives.
The Travel & Tourism Development Index, initiated in 2007 and
updated biennially, evaluates various aspects of tourism, including
its economic and social impact, sustainability, and collaboration
opportunities among organizations. This index is considered an
advanced iteration of the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index,
previously developed by the World Economic Forum.
Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency’s
WhatsApp channel
