Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 31 / Trend N.Ismayilova /
Tourist inflow to Azerbaijan steadily increased in 2010. Growth in this indicator amounted to 6-7 percent in 2010, exceeding expectations, Azerbaijani Culture and Tourism Minister Abulfaz Garayev said on Monday.
"Growth in terms of tourist inflow in the last year was expected within three percent," he said.
Garayev said, in early 2010, there were concerns about a possible decline in the inflow of tourists into the country, but the trend showed a steady growth in late 2010.
More accurate figures, Garayev said, will be announced in February.
"In 2009, the total number of visitors in Azerbaijan decreased by three percent, while the number of tourists increased by 1.5 percent," Garayev said.