16:58 - 28.07.2020

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July 28, Fineko/abc.az. A meeting has been held between the leadership of Azerbaijan’s civil aviation and tourism industry.

ABC.AZ was informed at the Azerbaijan Airlines press service that AZAL president Jahangir Asgarov noted that due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of borders between countries the civil aviation and tourism sectors are going through a very difficult period. According to Asgarov, AZAL and its partners have performed 239 international flights delivering more than 23,000 of our compatriots back home from 15 March to the present day.

State Tourism Agency’s chairman Fuad Nagiyev stated during the meeting that the tourism industry is now suffering the deepest crisis in its entire history. The recovery of this sector of the economy will take place in a highly competitive environment at the regional and global levels. To increase the competitiveness of the industry the involvement of all its subjects in the decision-making process is required with the decisions being taken quickly and the reaction being dynamic and effective.

Asgarov noted that following the approval of new provisional rules for air transportation during the pandemic, AZAL and some foreign airlines began operating special international flights to the most popular destinations.

AZAL president noted that taking into consideration the wishes of travel companies outlined previously via videoconference, starting from 1 August AZAL will open offline sales in Azerbaijan through the Global Distribution System (GDS) to its direct agents. At the same time, according to Askerov, it is necessary to understand that the main source of income for tour operators should be not only the sale of air tickets but rather the sale of ready-made tour packages as is practiced all over the world. Based on the experience of other countries, in the post-pandemic period it would first be necessary to focus on the development of domestic tourism, and AZAL will make our country even more accessible to foreign tourists.