Azerbaijan becomes member of World Tourism Organization Executive Council
Baku, August 31 (AZERTAC). Azerbaijan has been admitted to the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization by its General Assembly co-organized by Zambia and Zimbabwe on August 24-29.
At the meeting held in Livingston, Azerbaijan gained the highest number of votes to take the first spot, followed by other European countries Germany, Serbia and Bulgaria respectively.
The session, attended by Minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan Abulfas Garayev, approved the Azerbaijani side`s proposal to hold the next meeting of the European Commission of the World Tourism Organization in Baku in 2014.
No doubt, this achievement is the result of Azerbaijan's efforts to develop tourism in the country, evidence of the country`s international prestige as the tourist country, highest indicator of its international ties, the fruitful cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism with the World Tourism Organization. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and embassy of Azerbaijan to Spain made immense contribution to having this decision made.
The competitiveness of Azerbaijan in the tourism sector is high. The Azerbaijani state declared development of tourism as the priority direction of development of the non-oil sector. The actions taken and reforms implemented as well as improvement of the legal framework are an evidence of the Azerbaijani state`s care for this sector. Thanks to the state program on development of tourism in 2010-2014, President Ilham Aliyev`s designating 2011 as the year of tourism and realization of the tourism development action plan are the testimony to the government's support for the development of the industry.
The Ministry of Culture and tourism does everything possible to develop tourism in Azerbaijan, popularize the country`s rich tourism opportunities. Thanks to the promotion campaigns (commercials on foreign TV channels, participation in international tourism exhibitions) and cooperation with international organizations, Azerbaijan is gradually becoming one of tourist destinations.
The government regularly improves legal framework for boosting tourism. In line with President Ilham Aliyev`s executive order, the government has launched an e-visa online visa application system. Experts of the World Tourism Organization made their amendments and supplements to the new bill on tourism.
The accomplishments achieved are the evidence of Azerbaijan`s increasing prestige in the world. Although, the tourist traffic rise was 5% on average in Europe, this indicator made 10% in Azerbaijan.
All this opens up ample opportunities for integration of Azerbaijan into the international tourism market, and development of tourism cooperation.
At the General Assembly, Armenia raised its protest against Azerbaijan's membership in the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization and conduct of the meeting of the European Commission in Baku. However, its efforts failed, and Azerbaijan once more reaffirmed its prestige in the world tourism family.
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