Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 8 / Trend U. Ismayilova /
Azerbaijani Travel Agencies Association together with representatives of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economic Development in the coming days will start monitoring of the tourist companies' work in the country, the Azerbaijani Travel Agencies Association chairman Nahid Bagirov said.
"Monitoring will be mainly conducted in the country's regions to identify illegally operating tourism companies, that is, companies, operating without a license for this activity, " Bagirov said.
According to him, a subject for monitoring will be inspection of the level of work and quality of the tourism companies' services.
The Azerbaijani Travel Agencies Association was created with the assistance of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture in January 2009. The board members include Improtex Travel, Caspian Travel, Pasha Travel, Silkway Travel, Euroturizm CEOs. Over 51 travel agencies are members of the association.
The association protects the interests of travel agencies, develops bills, recommendations and regulations, assists in establishing national travel companies. It develops plans to conduct trainings and seminars for market participants, creates conditions for advertising of Azerbaijani tourism at annual international exhibitions; develops domestic tourism and presents tourism products at the world market.
The association also tries to develop and introduce congressional tourism, help to train specialists in the management and services etc.
At present, Azerbaijan has over 200 licensed tourism companies.