BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 31. In the first quarter of this year, the number of tourists visiting Azerbaijan has increased by 44.2 percent compared to the same period last year, reaching 322,973 visitors, with 63.77 percent (205,958) being men and 36.23 percent (117,015) being women, Trend reports via the Media Analysis Center's (MTM) analysis based on the data of the State Statistics Committee.
"In the first quarter of 2023, a total of 27.14 percent of foreign tourists visiting Azerbaijan, or 60,787 people, were women.
There were more women than men among tourists from the Philippines and Lithuania. In the first quarter of this year, women accounted for 71.2 percent of tourists from the Philippines (2,033 people) and 52.8 percent from Lithuania (488 people), while in other countries, the proportion of female tourists remained below 50 percent.
Comparing the purposes of tourist visits to Azerbaijan in the first quarter of the last two years, the number of arrivals for recreation and entertainment has more than doubled. In the first quarter of 2023, 99,227 tourists visited Azerbaijan for recreation and entertainment, but in the first quarter of this year, this figure increased by 120.3 percent to reach 220,092 people.
Another significant increase was observed in the number of tourists coming to Azerbaijan for medical treatment, which rose by 164.9 percent compared to the first quarter of last year, reaching 4,104 people. Additionally, there was an increase in the number of tourists visiting Azerbaijan for religious purposes and shopping,” the center's analysis says.
It was emphasized that there is a slight decrease in the number of tourists coming to Azerbaijan to visit relatives or friends.
“In the first quarter of last year, 53,659 foreign visitors came to Azerbaijan for various purposes, but this number decreased to 50,486 in the first quarter of 2024. Additionally, the number of tourists visiting Azerbaijan for work also declined, dropping by 30.9 percent compared to the first quarter of 2023 to reach 38,895 people.
Over the past three years, tourists from Russia have consistently represented the largest group among those arriving in Azerbaijan for tourism, with their numbers steadily increasing. In the reporting period, the number of Russian tourists reached 112,912. This rise is attributed to strong family ties between Russian and Azerbaijani citizens, the prevalence of business trips, and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, which has led many Russian citizens to choose Azerbaijan for recreation due to entry restrictions in other countries,” the analysis said.
It was noted that out of the 112,912 Russian tourists who visited Azerbaijan in the first quarter of this year, 63,434 people, or 56.2 percent, came for recreation and entertainment.
“Over the past three years, there has been a noticeable increase in the interest of Indian tourists in Azerbaijan. As a result, in the first quarter of 2024, Indian visitors took the second spot among foreigners arriving in Azerbaijan, surpassing Türkiye. In that period, 36,536 Indian tourists visited Azerbaijan, with 95 percent of them coming for recreation and entertainment.
Türkiye, which had previously held the second position, fell to third place in the first quarter of 2024. During this period, 30,800 Turkish citizens visited Azerbaijan for tourism.
The analysis also reveals that 98.6 percent of foreign visitors arrived by air, while 1.4 percent arrived by water. Consequently, transportation expenses constituted the largest portion of tourist spending. In the first quarter of 2024, transportation costs for tourists increased by 106.7 percent compared to the same period last year.
In the first quarter of 2024, foreign tourists visiting Azerbaijan spent a total of 591.6 million manat, or $348 million, marking a 79 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Of this amount, 267.8 million manat ($157.5 million), or 45.3 percent, was spent on transportation.
Expenditures on food ranked second, with foreign tourists spending 119.1 million manat, or $70.06 million, a 64.1 percent increase from the previous year.
Accommodation costs were the third-largest expenditure, totaling 112.9 million manat, or $66.4 million, which represents a 55.6 percent increase compared to the same period last year," the analysis reads.
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