00:00As Austrian-born and having worked in destinations all around the world,
00:05what was it about Azerbaijan that made you want to take this on?
00:08And what continues to surprise you about the country today?
00:13I think you just said what continues to surprise me.
00:16It was my first time I was in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2001.
00:21And still since then, it continues to reveal itself to me all over these many years.
00:30Since I'm there now, in 2018, when we started to restructure tourism
00:36and really put on tourism development on top of the government agenda.
00:42In your recent Euronews interview, you spoke about the South Caucasus.
00:47Can you share with us some of the points that you raised there about why it's so special?
00:54In our opinion, the destination South Caucasus is completely underrated.
01:00It consists currently of a lot of individual countries, same as Central Asia.
01:06A lot of that falls under the post-Soviet era countries where we know there is a lot of stands
01:13and arms,
01:13but we cannot identify what is the real nature and the real story of each of them.
01:19And Azerbaijan is on the crossroads of Europe and Asia.
01:23It has amazing infrastructure.
01:26I just came back from an amazing F1 weekend in Baku with a beautiful, beautiful sunshine busing city
01:35and more than 17,000 foreign visitors to the city.
01:41And F1 is one of these examples that put Azerbaijan on the map,
01:46but there is much more to come and much more to offer.
01:51And very few people, especially in Europe, know that there is a lot of European history to Azerbaijan, right?
01:59So you had the Siemens Brothers building bridges, bridges you can still cross in the country.
02:06You have German heritage villages, Helenendorf and Annenfeld.
02:10You have the largest Jewish settlement in Azerbaijan in a majority Muslim country
02:16where it's just daily life that there is a mosque, there is a church, and there is also a synagogue
02:24next to each other.
02:24So it's not a marketing claim.
02:25This is also what the country really stands for and what we experience in our daily life.
02:31So this European connection at one hand and at the same time being on that edge to the Asian side
02:43is the interesting bridge.
02:45And what I said in this interview is also that with the expanding and peace process
02:53and with the initial peace deal basically signed in Washington last August, this is developing.
03:01This will allow travelers also a multi-country journey and will ease travel, especially for long-haul travelers.
03:10And the South Caucasus as a destination will gain much more recognition than it has now.
03:16I think for me, having been privileged to travel there quite a lot over the last few years,
03:20having that mix of beautiful cities with these vast landscapes that are incredible,
03:26but also what we heard in the last conversation, it is the people that make a place, isn't it?
03:31Absolutely.
03:32So these genuine encounters you have in Azerbaijan, and not only in Baku, there is a lot of stories of
03:37travelers,
03:38but once you go beyond Baku to the regions, there is the beauty,
03:42and this is also where our focus lies for the next years.
03:47There is a lot to discover, there is mountain and winter clusters.
03:52We've partnered with FIS, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, also for the next five years
03:57to bring FIS races and World Cups to Azerbaijan to show how beautiful, how advanced,
04:04and how really amazing the greater Caucasus is not only for hiking, bird watching,
04:09but also for skiing and winter sports.
04:11So invite everyone also, 5th to 7th of March, an exciting 5th World Cup finals in freestyle moguls
04:19and dual moguls in the mountains of Schachtach.
04:21But there is more, there is nature, there is 8 out of 12 climate zones.
04:27You travel from the desert through the semi-desert to the 4,000-meter-high peaks,
04:33and I think that says a lot.
04:36You mentioned earlier, obviously, the F1.
04:40That is, I mean, it's been the biggest week on the Baku calendar.
04:45Beyond the major events, what is happening across the country right now?
04:49What should visitors make sure that they don't want to miss?
04:53You don't want to miss the regions, right?
04:55I think with connectivity and accessibility improving, also from European destinations,
05:01by the way, the good news is Brussels will be connected with four flights a week
05:06starting May 8, 2027 by Azerbaijan Airlines.
05:10So it will be a lot easier also for Belgian travelers to visit Baku and Azerbaijan.
05:17But it's really, it's to travel beyond Baku,
05:20to travel along the Silk Road, through the side valleys,
05:26ancient heritage villages, UNESCO World Heritage Sites,
05:29Sheki, to mention one, an amazing settlement,
05:35a city on the greater Caucasus Mountains with Han palaces,
05:43just beautiful to dive in wineries, a beautiful wine route.
05:47There is a health and wellness cluster,
05:49Naftalan Oil, famous for its indications for skin treatment,
05:55and is there for centuries.
05:58So this is just one, but also for the luxury and traveler, there is a lot to discover.
06:04For you, obviously, I mean, I had the opportunity to hear you at the Azerbaijan Investment Forum,
06:10as I say, last week, when you referred to the new tourism development program.
06:15Can you tell us a little bit more about that?
06:17I think the tourism in Azerbaijan is relatively young, is still negotiated, right?
06:24And I think that is important when we talk about tourism and listening to panelists also this morning,
06:30is it's always how can we advance tourism by not owning all the verticals, right?
06:36Whether this is transportation, energy, and all the others impacting directly on tourism.
06:44So what we've set up is a new state program running until 2030,
06:49and it really supports both sides of this equation, the demand and the supply.
06:57The demand with increasing incentive schemes for charter airlines, for new flight connectivities,
07:06for operators putting Azerbaijan on the global map,
07:09but also on the supply side is to create new quality accommodation, especially in the regions,
07:16in a green building sustainability approach integrated.
07:22It is also supporting new entrepreneurs, micro small entrepreneurs who want to pick up businesses in tourism and recreation zones.
07:31So all this together, plus it tasks the vertical owners of these other elements,
07:38whether this is transportation, whether this is Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Customs,
07:44all part of this smooth travel, smooth customer journey, right, in a destination to basically improve things,
07:54to focus on tourism and to put tourism as the united element in the foreground.
08:01And we are very positive that this approach also, when you link all the stakeholders, right,
08:08in this horizontal of tourism development, this creates really then a lasting impact.
08:15How important is it for you to, you know, develop that tourism business, yet at the same time remain true
08:24to the heritage
08:25and the communities and the people of a country?
08:28Absolutely. That is actually on top of our agenda, whatever we do.
08:32So especially when you go out to regions and you want to have a very livable environment for locals, right?
08:43You want to improve the livelihood of people.
08:45So one of these examples is Pascal Village, which was a beautiful mountain village along the Silk Road,
08:54abandoned mosque from the 14th century, beautiful center also of Kelachai,
09:00which is the silk printing center historically.
09:04All families were engaged in it. It was more or less abandoned.
09:07So what we started is really is like improving the infrastructure, getting people back, moving back to this village.
09:14And now you have basically a village which is a flourishing community.
09:19You have micro-entrepreneurs, you have families who are having small tea houses, you have others serving food,
09:25you have women engaged in silk printing, and it becomes at the same time an experience for travelers.
09:34But most importantly, it is what this village genuinely stands for and basically brought back to life in its origin.
09:45I believe that one of the other things that you're focused on with your team as well is to emphasize
09:50the safety elements of traveling to the South Caucasus.
09:53Why is that imperative for you in driving that tourism business to come to Azerbaijan?
09:59Absolutely. I think, you know, talking about safety and travel and tourism always feels like a personal opinion.
10:08It is seeing the images we have seen on past weekend with the investment conference and with F1 in a
10:16city with, I said, like 17,000 international guests in the city,
10:22with a vibe, with bus, like with amazing, amazing vibes and atmosphere.
10:29It's the best what can prove that Baku and all Azerbaijan is a safe destination to travel.
10:36And culturally, that is also engraved in the people of Azerbaijan that anyone who is visiting, any traveler is on
10:45top of the list.
10:48So it's like everyone will do everything to make a guest and a traveler welcome.
10:53You mentioned a little earlier about four new direct flights from Brussels.
10:59Can you talk to me a little bit more and elaborate on that accessibility issue?
11:04Why it's important to have these travel corridors and direct routes between the South Caucasus and to Europe and beyond?
11:12Absolutely. Baku over the past decade also has established itself as a hub in the region.
11:20Baku Airport, five stars, Skytrax, Azerbaijan Airlines, the best carrier in the region.
11:26And the expansion also of Azerbaijan Airlines and other carriers from Baku to European capitals,
11:34not only but most important now to European capitals, is very important for us also,
11:41to make sure that we are able to invite travelers on a very short route to basically jump on the
11:50plane and come and visit.
11:52I think connectivity and accessibility are the key bottlenecks in tourism, right?
11:57And we see in terms of accessibility globally, a shift back to more electronic travel registrations.
12:05We don't call it any more visa, but we call it a pre-registration form.
12:10So this is not anymore the big element because we are used to, even as European travelers,
12:17to pre-register, to fill out something, pay a few euros or dollars.
12:21So connectivity, really, air accessibility is key in that sense.
12:27And that is what we are looking together also with Azerbaijan Airlines,
12:32who is very lucky to get a lot of new aircrafts delivered these years.
12:37So expansion ahead.
12:39You mentioned the visa that we're not calling visa, but you made it for the F1 weekend.
12:45You made a news announcement to make it a lot easier for visitors to come to the country.
12:50Exactly. For F1 and for also other big events, there is no visa requirement.
12:55Basically, you have a passport, you have a valid ticket, you just jump on a plane and enter the country.
13:02If you could tell us about your secret Azerbaijan, what do we not know?
13:07Where should we be going to?
13:10That's difficult.
13:11I put you on the spot there. You didn't know that.
13:12There is a lot of secret and hidden places and hidden gems.
13:16There is one very, very, very special place in the south of the country.
13:24It is called Sim Village.
13:26It is a fairy tale village.
13:28As you imagine, a fairy tale with a mosque covered, the entire village.
13:32You have these very old, beautiful wooden buildings and structures with balconies.
13:38You have a lot of water running through that village, you have a lot of waterfalls around, and you're close
13:44to Hirkan forest, which was inscribed also in the UNESCO heritage site for unique ecological spaces.
13:55You have an enormous diversity of fauna and flora, and it feels a bit you're in the jungle, but you're
14:04in the middle, you're basically in Azerbaijan.
14:07And this describes also a bit the diversity you can experience once you really go out of the city, dive
14:16into the country, and meet genuinely wonderful, lovely people.
14:22How important is the industry where you are in terms of the local economic contribution?
14:30You know, it is huge.
14:32And where do you see that journey going for Azerbaijan tourism?
14:36Tourism in 2025 in Azerbaijan contributed 7 billion manat, which is roughly 3.5 billion euros, which is 5.4
14:48% of GDP.
14:49In the entire economy and close to 8% in the non-oil sector.
14:56So there is room to go.
14:58And we have put one of our objectives to reach 12 billion manat by 2030, which is an ambitious goal.
15:09But at the same time, not doubling the numbers.
15:13I think this is also a conversation we all have, no?
15:15It's like, is it all about the numbers?
15:17No, it's not.
15:19Our motto is not all about the numbers.
15:21It's about how do you really increase the length of stay?
15:26How do you make people enjoy more of the country during their journey?
15:31And so with visitor numbers roughly below 4 million, the target is set to reach this 12 billion manat by
15:432030.
15:43So a few more travelers, but a higher impact.
15:48When you mention those huge numbers of travelers that are coming, you know, how do you cope with that in
15:53terms of the infrastructure, especially with big cities like Bakun, the big events like we have, like you mentioned, F1.
16:01How do you cope with that?
16:02Infrastructure really has been extremely developed over the past decades.
16:08And many people still remember Eurovision 2011, which was one of the first events.
16:16And since then, there was a lot of them.
16:18COP29, the largest international congress, took place in Baku and really has also made Baku a proven global meetings and
16:31convention hotspot, not only in the region really, but on a global scale.
16:35We see who can host COP in town, basically can host any other meeting and conference.
16:43And I think also it has shown the world that it's not all about luxury and development.
16:53It is also a very genuine experience you can have in local guest houses, in local tea houses, in the
17:02narrow streets of the old town.
17:03So it's a beautiful combination of the very old and the very new.
17:11If you could sum up Azerbaijan in three words, what would it be?
17:14It would be real, warm and uplifting.
17:19Uplifting because Azerbaijan always surprises, positively surprises you.
17:26So it continues to reveal many new sites.
17:30And this is what it still does to me, living there for many, many years and calling it my home.
17:37Warm, because people are warm.
17:39People are just these warmth of people.
17:42We talk a lot about that.
17:43But this is really something, you have been to the Caucasus, you feel the warmth of especially Azerbaijani people.
17:54And real, because it's still genuine, it's intact, development is negotiated, it's not flattened by tourism, it's real.
18:05So, thank you very much.
18:07Thank you very much.
