Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan Explore New Tourism Opportunities at Quba Forum

Azerbaijan’s Quba city hosted the second Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan Tourism Forum, uniting government officials, tourism industry leaders, and business representatives from both countries.

The three-day forum featured Kazakh Ambassador to Azerbaijan Alim Beiel, Quba’s MP Alibala Maharramzade, members of the Azerbaijan State Tourism Agency, public figures, and officials from 56 tour companies across Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Beiel highlighted the significant growth in tourist flows between the two nations, noting that Kazakhstan accounts for nearly 50 per cent of all Central Asian visitors to Azerbaijan. Overall, Kazakhstan ranks sixth in tourist arrivals after Russia, Türkiye, India, Iran, and Georgia. He attributed the rising interest to Baku’s cultural attractions, scenic landscapes, shared language and traditions, and convenient direct flights.

Beiel also emphasized plans for a joint investment health resort on the shores of Lake Alakol in Kazakhstan, calling it a milestone project in bilateral tourism cooperation.

MP Alibala Maharramzade stressed the importance of promoting tourism in both directions, underlining the sector’s role in strengthening cultural ties and fostering closer relations between the peoples of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

The forum featured presentations of new travel packages and routes by Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency and participating tour companies, highlighting cultural landmarks and natural attractions. B2B meetings and site visits to the Quba region allowed Kazakh delegates to explore local tourism potential firsthand.

The event reflected strong mutual interest in expanding tourism collaboration and is expected to lead to new initiatives aimed at increasing visitor flows between the two countries.

Earlier, Kazakhstan was reported to have strengthened its position in the global passport index.