Baku, October 19, AZERTAC

CJSC Azerbaijan Airlines, Silk Way Holding, the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau signed a cooperation agreement.

Considering such a priority task as developing foreign tourism, set by the country's leadership, cooperation of key bodies in this sphere will positively affect the development of the tourism sector.

The agreement was signed by President of Azerbaijan Airlines Jahangir Asgarov, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan Fuad Naghiyev, First Vice President of Silk Way Holding Teymur Mammadov and Executive Director of the Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau Florian Sengstschmid.

The agreement envisages joint measures aimed at increasing passenger traffic of both the country’s main air gate - Heydar Aliyev International Airport and regional airports. Much attention will be paid to low-cost air transportation, as well as opening of inexpensive 3-star hotels.

Today, the main tourist flow to our country is accounted for air transportation. The national airline AZAL operates regular and charter flights to the countries of near and far abroad.

Starting next year, the fleet of Azerbaijan’s national airline will begin to replenish with the latest Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, which will further expand the geography of the route network. The Heydar Aliyev International Airport’s management is actively working to attract foreign air carriers.

It should be noted that during the first nine months of 2018, Heydar Aliyev International Airport served 3.49 million passengers. This indicator exceeds the same indicator of the previous year by 10 percent, and the same indicator of 2016 - by 39 percent.

Azerbaijan's growing tourism potential contributes to the development of passenger air transportation and the opening of flights to new countries and cities. Currently, Baku airport serves over 30 airlines on more than 40 destinations.