Azerbaijan expands agrotourism in its Sheki-Zagatala region
Azerbaijan’s Sheki-Zagatala region is now home to 18 active agrotourism enterprises, the State Tourism Agency said in a statement to Trend.
The agency noted that agrotourism in Azerbaijan has accelerated in recent years, largely supported by government programs and initiatives aimed at leveraging the potential of rural areas for tourism. The implementation of the “State Programs for Socio-Economic Development of the Regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” along with subsidies and preferential loans for entrepreneurs in agrotourism, has become a key driver of growth in this sector.
Agrotourism enterprises in the country are mainly represented by farms offering tourist services, including family farms where visitors can participate in harvesting and animal care; rural houses hosting tourists in traditional Azerbaijani settings; and agricultural businesses producing and selling local products such as viticulture, tea cultivation, and gardening. Other facilities also provide thematic rural tourism services.
The northwest region of the country is coming up as a hotspot for active agrotourism, with a focus on diving into beekeeping, fishing, winemaking, gardening, and date cultivation.
“At present, 18 agrotourism enterprises are up and running in the Sheki-Zagatala region, covering Oghuz, Sheki, Gakh, Zagatala, and Balakan,” the agency pointed out.
