Azerbaijan has captured the interest of Middle East travellers with its rich variety of culture, halal food, music, history and hospitality. The country offers touristic attractions with the ancient capital of Baku on the shores of the Caspian Sea offering plenty of things to see and do.
The weather has a soothing touch all year round that helps as does the friendly charm of the people of Azerbaijan. In contrast to the upscale shopping malls of the capital, Gabala, a mountainous, forested region of Azerbaijan and a paradise for nature lovers, has also picked up tremendous interest as summertime getaway destination. Arab tourists can enjoy halal cuisines, places of worship and culturally-sensitised hotel facilities, like separate swimming pools for men and women. “The fundamental thing a tourist searches for when deciding on a destination is peace and safety. Only then do they look towards the service, quality, and price,” commented Rashid Al Noori chairman of the Representative Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan in GCC. "It is this proven safety and peace in Azerbaijan that has contributed positively to how visitors perceive the country. We have conducted many workshops, roadshows and seminars for GCC travel agents and media to get them better acquainted with what Azerbaijan has to offer the Arab traveller," he added. Data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism showed the number of tourists visiting Azerbaijan increased by 24.9 per cent in the first six months of the year. According to the minister of Culture and Tourism, Abulfas Garayev, the country received 844,000 foreign visitors in the first half of 2017. The Islamic Solidarity Games and the Formula 1 Grand Prix has contributed massively to the growth of the number of Arab tourists who visited Azerbaijan. The number of high-profile, high-spending tourists from the Middle East has experienced the biggest percentage jump. The country expects to continue welcoming more Arab visitors especially from UAE and Saudi Arabia until the end of summer. Swift processing of travel documents with an e-visa service means many other travellers interested in Azerbaijan have a great chance of experiencing the country’s beauty and abundance.