Azerbaijan tops 7 in World Tourism Rankings

According to the Travel and Tourism Development Index published by the World Economic Forum, Azerbaijan has ascended 7 places compared to the previous report, now ranking 56th among 119 countries, Azernews reports citing the State Tourism Agency.

It was highlighted that Azerbaijan, as the 2nd country with the highest result among the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, demonstrated significant improvement across four key components. In the report based on data from the end of 2023, advancements were noted in the indicators of business environment, safety, health and hygiene, human resources, and the labor market under the "Availability of a Suitable Environment" component. Similarly, international openness, compliance with travel and tourism policy conditions, price competitiveness, cultural resources, environmental sustainability, and socio-economic sustainability saw increases.

In line with 2021, Azerbaijan retained its top position for the indicator of regular transfer of travel and tourism statistical data to international institutions.

Moreover, Azerbaijan notably advanced by 34 places in the Global Terrorism Index, securing the top spot among the safest countries. Additionally, it ranks 39th in arrival tourism seasonality, 28th in annual travel and tourism data comprehensiveness, 29th in natural examples listed in the World Heritage List, and 18th and 32nd in digital payments and 3G mobile network coverage indicators, respectively.

However, the report identifies challenges such as fewer short-term rental houses compared to neighboring countries, low capital investment in travel and tourism, limited agreements on bilateral air services, and biodiversity preservation. These challenges need addressing for further improvement in Azerbaijan's tourism sector.

To enhance Azerbaijan's position in the Travel and Tourism Development Index, the State Tourism Agency established the 'Development of Tourism' working group in October 2022. This group, comprising relevant government institutions and businesses, coordinated efforts to implement an action plan focused on modern challenges and goals.

The Travel and Tourism Development Index, conducted biennially since 2007, evaluates tourism's economic and social impact, sustainability, cooperation opportunities, and development strategies, evolving from the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index previously prepared by the World Economic Forum.