The Asia-Pacific Region Discovers Azerbaijan's Tourism
On October 29, the "PATA Hosted Buyers Summit Baku 2026" was held in Baku, jointly organized by the State Tourism Agency and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
The purpose of the event is to expand ties between Azerbaijan and the key tourism markets of the Asia-Pacific region, as well as to present the country's tourism potential to international travel industry representatives.
Speaking at the opening of the summit dedicated to the theme "Asia-Pacific Meets Azerbaijan: From Source Market to Tourism Destination," Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, stated that relations between Azerbaijan and PATA are developing successfully and that the Asia-Pacific region is one of the promising tourism markets for the country.
Fuad Naghiyev emphasized the importance of opening the Azerbaijan Tourism Board representative office in Beijing this year for strengthening Azerbaijan's position in regional markets. He noted that hosting the "PATA Hosted Buyers Summit Baku 2026" in Baku creates a favorable opportunity for establishing direct contacts between regional tourism industry representatives and local companies, as well as for developing new business relationships.
In his speech, PATA Chair Henri Ho noted that Azerbaijan's broad tourism opportunities are of interest to key tourism markets in the Asia-Pacific region, and that the main goal of the event is to promote these opportunities and bring together tourism industry partners through the organization's existing network.
Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding
As part of the summit, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Azerbaijan Tourism Board and PATA. The document was signed by Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, and Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO of PATA.
Key Areas Covered by the Memorandum:
Raising awareness about Azerbaijan and promoting the country's tourism potential in the Asia-Pacific region.
Expanding connections with representatives of the region's tourism markets.
Developing cooperation with media representatives.
Strengthening the exchange of experience and information among other stakeholders in the tourism sector.
B2B Meetings and Tours
In the second part of the summit, B2B meetings were held between local tourism companies with the participation of over 50 tourism professionals from China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea. Cooperation prospects and opportunities for establishing new business ties were discussed during the meetings.
As part of the program, participants will visit Baku, Shamakhi, Gabala, Sheki, and Gakh districts, familiarizing themselves with Azerbaijan's historical and cultural heritage, natural tourism resources, hospitality traditions, and tourism infrastructure.
Participants will be introduced to Azerbaijan's Silk Road heritage, mountain and nature tourism, business tourism, "Umrah Plus" programs, and personalized travel opportunities. Furthermore, opportunities to include Azerbaijan alongside neighboring countries in multi-country Caucasus tourism routes will be discussed.
About PATA
With over 650 members worldwide—including official tourism organizations, international airlines and airports, hospitality organizations, educational institutions, and travel companies—the Pacific Asia Travel Association has been operating since 1951, serving as an international tourism platform. The Azerbaijan Tourism Board has been a member of the organization since 2019.
