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ATAA: Excursion services should be expanded in Baku

Society Materials 1 June 2011 14:52 (UTC +04:00)
Travel services should be expanded and additional excursion services should be created in Azerbaijan, as Baku will host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, Azerbaijan Tourism Agencies Association Consultant Chairman Muzaffar Agakerimov told Trend.
ATAA: Excursion services should be expanded in Baku

Azerbaijan, Baku, June 1 / Trend I.Isabalayeva /

Travel services should be expanded and additional excursion services should be created in Azerbaijan, as Baku will host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, Azerbaijan Tourism Agencies Association Consultant Chairman Muzaffar Agakerimov told Trend.

He said the number of tourists visiting Azerbaijan will increase in 2012 in connection with the Eurovision Song Contest.

"According to studies, the number of guests expected to arrive in Baku in 2012 is the largest figure after 1990," Agakerimov said.

It is expected that 60-70 percent of tourists will arrive in Azerbaijan for the first time, he said.

Tourists should be familiarized with Baku and its suburbs, the Absheron Peninsula and other places with a view to raise interest in tourism in Azerbaijan.

Thus, it is necessary to strengthen the activities of museums, create tours to the Caspian Sea and, if necessary, on the island, increase the number of additional services and provide extensive information about the national cuisine.

Agakerimov said if Eurovision is held at a high level, the influx of tourists to Azerbaijan could increase substantially in the coming years.

Agakerimov said if Eurovision-2012 is held at a high level, the influx of tourists to Azerbaijan could increase substantially in the coming years.

The ATAA was created with the Tourism and Culture Ministry's assistance in January 2009. The board members include the CEOs of Improtex Travel, Caspian Travel, Pasha Travel, Silkway Travel, and Euroturizm.

The association protects the interests of travel agencies, develops bills, recommendations and regulations, and assists in establishing national travel companies. It also develops plans to conduct training and seminars for market participants, creates conditions for advertising Azerbaijani tourism at annual international exhibitions, develops domestic tourism, and presents tourism products on the world market.

The association also tries to develop and introduce congressional tourism and train specialists in management.

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