Azerbaijan is represented by the State Tourism Agency (STA) and the Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) at the PATA Annual Summit 2024 taking place from 15th to 17th May, 2024 in Macao, China. The annual summit is dedicated to fostering insightful discussions and exploring a wide range of opportunities for the shift of the industry towards a future defined by resilience, inclusivity, and sustainable development.
The summit serves as a platform to strengthen collaborations with PATA and its members, fostering mutually beneficial relationships that contribute to the growth and development of global tourism. Azerbaijan showcases its commitment to these objectives through the active participation of Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board, and Mahammad Muradov, Head of Tourism Policy and Strategy Department at the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
On May 16th, Florian Sengstschmid participated at the panel discussion titled “Leaders Dialogue: Future-Proofing Travel and Tourism Policies”. In this discussion Mr. Sengstschmid delved into the details of Azerbaijan’s strategic tourism development. Sustainable tourism plays a pivotal role in ATB's strategy, catering to the expectations of modern travellers, preserving and enhancing Azerbaijan's tangible and intangible resources. Collaborative initiatives with industry partners have led to the development of hiking routes, birdwatching excursions, and gastronomical experiences among many others. Notably, Azerbaijan has this year taken a step to join Slow Wine initiatives with its debut at the “Slow Wine Fair”, emphasizing the tradition of community winemaking. Moreover, in 2021 Azerbaijan launched the Slow Food Travel (SFT) project, to safeguard traditional cooking methods and endangered products. Now, tourists can immerse themselves in Azerbaijan’s gastronomical experiences in the north-western region, engaging with local partners and their offerings. It is planned to expand this project further south this year. Additionally, efforts to preserve the UNESCO-inscribed cultural landscape of Khinalig village and the 'Köç Yolu' transhumance route underscore the commitment to safeguarding infrastructure, culture, and traditions.
As part of the summit’s agenda, Mahammad Muradov represented Azerbaijan at the PATA government meeting, contributing to important discussions and decision-making processes focused on the future of tourism in the region.
It should be noted that PATA's annual summit is a platform that brings together key players of global tourism, representing the public and private sectors to discuss challenges and opportunities in the development of the tourism industry.
Azerbaijan has been a member of PATA since 2019.
