How to sell: Azerbaijan
Known principally for its oil and gas resources, Azerbaijan has yet to hit the headlines as a leisure destination — despite the nomination of its capital Baku as one of the world’s 'top ten party cities' by Lonely Planet last year and its success as winner of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
But, with a new representation office appointed this year to spearhead promotion throughout the GCC, flights to Baku with FlyDubai, plus the upcoming launch of daily Qatar Airways flights from Doha to Baku, the CIS republic is eager to position itself as a short-haul destination catering to both Arab and expat, couples and family holidays as well as the MICE and soft adventure sectors.
The country’s nascent tourism industry is keen to corner the Middle East market, and Ambassador to the UAE, HE Elkhan Gahramanov wholeheartedly encourages the travel trade to pay the emerging destination a visit.
“During the past few years, the Azerbaijani economy has developed at one of the highest rates worldwide — with GDP up 7.3% during 2010 — and tourism has become one of the country’s leading sectors,” he explains. “Rich natural resources and diversity give excellent opportunities for development of different spheres of tourism. I would like to extend an invitation to visit and learn more.”
The Middle East is a key market for Azerbaijan due to common cultural and religious orientations, explains HE Abulfas Garayev, minister of culture & tourism for the Republic of Azerbaijan. “Although at this point, we are very much concerned about establishing strategic and strong relationships in the region, our targets are ambitious and we hope to generate over 1 million visitors in the short term, and improve numbers in the long term.”
At the moment, most travellers come to Azerbaijan for business reasons, but the Ministry is working hard to promote the country’s stunning natural beauty and wildlife and historical experiences, unique culture and hospitality, adventure and sports, arts and music and family-focused attractions in order to attract leisure travellers too.
“Most business trips are combined with one or two extra days to relax and enjoy our fine weather and friendly people,” explains Garayev.
“However, we are working very hard in to encourage short holiday travel over the weekends and other short public holidays.”
Developing infrasructure
Helping this ambition is the boost to airline access, a growing number of global hotel brands and increased promotional efforts — 2011 is the ‘Year of Tourism’ in Azerbaijam.
“We have also initiated a partnership programme where we shall assist Azerbaijan-based operators to establish working relationships with DMCs in the GCC to offer more options for travellers to the country” says HE Garayev.
The Ministry is also keen to support fam trips for the trade to give travel agents a first-hand experience of Azerbaijan. The first one will take place in September followed by a second in early January. Individual trips will also be supported.
Keen to play a greater role, Flydubai has already seen a 40% rise in traffic between Baku and Dubai during the past year from May 2010 to May 2011, according to CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith: “The country is slowly developing its tourism infrastructure, and Baku is a cosmopolitan city that already caters easily to all segments — including the fast-developing short-stay and weekend sector.
Azerbaijan could soon be pitched as a great ski break option too adds Al Ghaith. "With the construction of a new ski resort, the country will soon appeal to a new group of tourists."
Room for more
With more than 50 hotels in Baku, the city offers a great choice ranging from top-rated Hyatt and Rezidor hotels through to boutique properties and independent hotels — the latter is currently the only option outside of the capital.
Encouraged by the booming oil and gas industries — and one of the fastest-growing economies worldwide — the big hospitality players are lining up to enter the market with at least six five-star hotels opening soon, a move that is expected to temper rates which have been overpriced due to inflated demand.
According to consultants Richard Chancellor, while there are currently around 450 hotels in Azerbaijan, the biggest deficit is in economy brands, which appeal to both budget tourists and corporates aiming to cut costs.
Among the new brands opening up in the next 12 months, the names are all top-notch rather than cost conscious — with Jumeirah, Four Seasons, Fairmont, JW Marriott and Hilton — all coming to town, while Starwood has just taken over the former Holiday Inn at Baku Airport and rebranded it as a Sheraton.
Mete Atakuman, general manager of the Jumeirah Bilgah Hotel Baku, which opens later this year, says enquiries from the Middle East are already flooding in for the resort-style hotel. “Baku is in such a unique location and offers a variety of different things to do that it will appeal to all segments,” he says.
“The Expo Center is new and state-of-the-art, and Baku will be a destination for future exhibitions and events as well as a preferred destination for all types of other travellers.”
Jumeirah Bilgah Hotel (formerly slated to be Jumeirah's flagship Venu hotel before the plug was pulled on the brand) is located on the Caspian in the north of the Absheron Peninsula, 25 minutes from Baku, and is one of several new luxury resorts.
At Four Seasons, the aim is also to tap in to the upper-echelons of both Baku's residents and visitors, offering grand classical architecture and the finest settings for dining, spa and special events, explains general manager, Tarek Mourad:
“Thanks to the city’s lively nightlife and the Caspian Sea’s cool winds and recreation options, Baku is an upcoming destination for leisure travellers, as well as corporate travellers from the oil and banking industry."
Mourad adds that the hotel is also working on alternative itinerary options for incentive travellers that are both exciting and suited to the expectations of international travellers.
For Fairmont, major conferences and events will be a prime target, says regional VP of hotel sales, Kent Cooper: “Azerbaijan is aggressively developing infrastructure and seeking out major conferences and events, such as Eurovision — one of the most well known,” explains Cooper.
He adds: “As a diverse and upcoming destination, Baku will draw across the board from beach tourists to soft adventure travellers, mature travellers, families, short break explorers and more.”
Hotel watch: coming up in azerbaijan
Fairmont baku
The opening of the Fairmont Baku is planned for late 2011. The hotel will be located on a prime site next to the Azerbaijan parliament buildings and overlooking the Caspian Sea. This new iconic complex, called the Flame Towers, will incorporate hotel, residential and commercial space and will be linked by centrally located retail and leisure facilities.
Opening late 2011
Jumeirah Bilgah Hotel Baku
Formerly slated to be a Venu brand — with 176 rooms, 14 three-bed villas, all-day and Asian restaurants, family waterpark, 2,500 sq m water platform, 1,500 sq m conference centre with ballroom, three meeting rooms, two boardrooms and a Talise spa with nine treatment rooms. The hotel is located on the Caspian Sea in the north of the Absheron Peninsula.
Opening Q4 2011
Four Seasons Baku
Located opposite the Caspian waterfront and next to the Old City, it has 171 rooms averaging 52 sq metres, the largest in Baku, most with balconies, plus speciality corner turret suites. Other facilities include all-day dining restaurant, rooftop French restaurant, the Nobel Private Dining Room, ballroom and five meeting rooms, rooftop spa and pool in a two-storey atrium.
Opening late 2011.
How to sell
How to get there:
AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines: Daily A319 flights depart Dubai 10:05, arrive 1155 at Baku. Return 13:25, arrives 17:35. Special web fares released in April from AED940 return, exclusive of taxes. (Fast track facilities available for business class passengers – email office1@fasttrack.az) www.azal.az
Flydubai: Four weekly B737 services on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. 11:30 depart, arrive Baku at 15:25, returning 16:25, arrives Dubai 18:15. Fares from AED 461 Dubai-Baku, or AED 750 flexible rate, return sector from AED666 and AED853. www.flydubai.com
Qatar Airways to launch daily services to Baku from Doha on November 30.
One of five international airports in Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev International (GYD) in Baku was formerly named Bina International. Located 20km northeast of the city, it is linked by two modern highways to downtown. A new terminal is under construction for completion in 2013, to cater to three million passengers annually.
Currency:
Azerbaijan Manat (AZN)
divided in to 100 QƏpik.
1USD = 0.79 AZN
Time:
GMT+4. Summer daylight saving GMT+5 until end October
Facts & Figures
Population 9 million; 2 million live in Baku. Visitor numbers in 2010: 1.85 million. 6% rise over 2009; increase in 2011 is expected to be 10%
What to do:
With 2,000 years of history as a meeting place on the former Silk Route, Azerbaijan boasts a host of attractions from its UNESCO designated Old City in the heart of Baku to seaside towns, mountain landscapes and lush valleys.
Among the sights in Baku are the Maiden’s Tower, Shirvan-Shah’s Palace and the 11th century Synyk-Kala Mosque and Minaret in the old fortress town, as well as carpet and craft shops, fine arts, history and literature museums, the Opera and Ballet Theatre, the seaside boulevard and Fountain Square for shops and restaurants.
The Ateshgah fire-worshippers’ temple 15km from Baku is also worth a visit — on a site saturated with natural gas which causes fire to spontaneously erupt from the ground.
Climate:
Tempered by the sea, it ranges from freezing and 3-4 degrees Celsius in winter to 30 degrees in the summer.
Visas:
Required by all nationalities except Russian and CIS countries. New rules implemented from June 1, state applications can be made via a tour operator and require a completed application form, scanned passport copy and photo, and confirmation of purpose of visit, airline ticket and accommodation reservation.
The process via Internet takes two to three days. Costs vary according to nationality — for UAE nationals, a single entry tourist visa valid for up to 30 days costs US$40.
Useful Contacts:
UAE: www.azembassyuae.org /
www.azembassy.ae /
+971 2 666 2848 /
+971 4 235 5232
KSA: www.azembriyadh.org /
+966 1 419 2382
Qatar: azembassy@qatar.com.qa / +974 493 2450
Kuwait: www.azerembassy-kuwait.org / +965 535 5247
Public Holidays:
New Year:
January 1-2;
Martyrs’ Day: January 20;
Women’s Day: March 8;
Novruz: March 20-26;
Victory Day: May 9,;
Republic Day: May 28;
National Salvation Day: June 15
Army and Navy Day: June 26 National Independence Day: October 18,
Constitution Day: November 12:
National Revival Day: November 17;
Azerbaijanis’ Solidarity Day: December 31,
Plus Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha.
Where to stay
Park Inn Azerbaijan
Located in the centre of the city, the hotel looks out over the Caspian Sea harbour and historic Old City. The hotel targets business travellers, with 248 rooms, and six meeting rooms.
www.parkinn.com/hotel-baku
Hyatt Regency Baku
35 minutes from the airport, and 10 minutes from the Baku Exhibition Centre. The hotel has 182 rooms and suites for leisure and business travellers. The Armaiti Spa opens this summer.
baku.regency.hyatt.com/
Park Hyatt Baku
Just 10 minutes from the Baku Exhibition Centre, the five-star Park Hyatt Baku features 159 rooms, the Club Oasis Spa & Fitness Centre and the Hyatt Meeting and Conference Centre.
baku.park.hyatt.com/
Excelsior Hotel Baku
A lavish boutique hotel in the centre of Baku, with 61 rooms, Aura Wellness Centre with gym, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis and squash courts, spa and summer garden.
www.excelsiorhotelbaku.az/