Azerbaijan is seeing a strong start to 2026 in international tourism, with Kazakhstan emerging as the leading Central Asian source of growth.

Some 181,637 foreign nationals visited the country in January 2026 - an increase of 5 per cent (8,984 people) compared to the same period last year, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

Among Central Asian nations, Kazakhstan recorded the highest growth. The number of Kazakh visitors reached 5,676, marking a 2.5 per cent increase year-on-year and underscoring steady interest in Azerbaijan as both a leisure and business destination. Tourist arrivals from Uzbekistan also rose, totaling 5,130 visitors.

Russia remained the largest source market overall, with 42,342 visitors, followed by Türkiye (36,536) and Iran (15,399). Strong growth was also recorded from Saudi Arabia, which sent 8,976 visitors - up 44.9 per cent compared to last year. Other top markets included India (9,070), Georgia (8,734), Pakistan (6,758), and Israel (4,972).

Officials say Azerbaijan plans to expand both digital and traditional promotional campaigns in 2026 to further boost visitor numbers, enhance global awareness, and strengthen the country’s position in the competitive international tourism market.