Baku hosts China Visitors Summit

On November 17, the China Visitors Summit, organized by the Azerbaijan State Tourism Agency, was held in Baku.

Addressing the event, Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency, noted that the agreements reached during Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s recent visit to China had opened a new chapter in tourism cooperation between the two countries.

He added that such events and initiatives would contribute significantly to increasing the mutual tourist flow between Azerbaijan and China and further strengthening economic and cultural cooperation.

In her remarks, Lu Mei, the Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan, noted that starting from 1992, Chinese-Azerbaijani relations had been developing rapidly and stably.

Other speakers included Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of the Azerbaijan State Tourism Board, and Alexander Glos, CEO of the China i2i Group.

The event included B2B meetings between more than 50 leading Chinese tour operators and local tourism stakeholders, as well as discussions on cooperation. The event also included business sessions, partner presentations, and a press conference.

Visits by Chinese tourism companies to the Shamakhi, Gabala, Sheki, and Gakh regions are planned to showcase Azerbaijan’s regional tourism potential.

This initiative aims to increase Azerbaijan’s visibility in the Chinese travel market by fostering direct connections between tourism stakeholders from both countries and encouraging growth in leisure and business travel from China.

According to the State Tourism Agency, in 2024, the number of Chinese visitors to Azerbaijan increased by 94 percent compared to 2023, reaching 44,798. From January to October 2025, over 57,000 Chinese citizens visited Azerbaijan, representing a 49 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.