BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 17. The China Visitors Summit, bringing together Chinese and Azerbaijani tourism industry representatives for the first time in Baku, was held under the organization of the State Tourism Agency on November 17, Trend reports.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency Fuad Naghiyev said agreements reached during President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit to the People’s Republic of China opened a new stage of cooperation in tourism between the two countries. He noted that current efforts focus on two priorities, implementation of the “China Ready” concept in Azerbaijan and expanding marketing activities in China.
Naghiyev emphasized that such initiatives will contribute to increasing the mutual tourist flow and strengthening economic and cultural ties.
China’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Lu Mei, recalled that bilateral relations have advanced along a stable and dynamic path since diplomatic ties were established in 1992.
“Relations between China and Azerbaijan, built on friendship and mutual trust, have grown stronger in recent years, and tourism has become one of the key areas of this partnership. Today’s event is an important step toward implementing agreements reached at the level of heads of state. Such platforms will serve as a bridge between the tourism sectors of China and Azerbaijan and create new opportunities for cooperation,” the ambassador said.
The CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB), Florian Sengstschmid, and the CEO of China i2i Group, Alexander Glos, noted that cooperation in tourism between Azerbaijan and China is rapidly expanding, with new travel packages and programs driving an increase in visitor exchanges. They added that direct meetings between local tourism and hospitality companies and Chinese partners create mutual benefits and will further strengthen the partnership.
The China Visitors Summit, held annually in different countries with the participation of Chinese tourism companies, serves as an international platform to expand bilateral cooperation. The Baku event brought together representatives of more than 50 Chinese tourism companies for B2B meetings with the local industry to discuss new collaboration opportunities. The program also includes familiarization trips to Shamakhi, Gabala, Sheki and Gakh to showcase Azerbaijan’s regional tourism potential.
In 2024, the number of visitors arriving in Azerbaijan from China increased by 94 percent compared to 2023, reaching 44,798. From January through October 2025, arrivals exceeded 57,000, marking a 49 percent rise year-on-year..
Over the past two years, large-scale promotional efforts have been carried out to expand tourism cooperation with China. The Azerbaijan Tourism Board signed memoranda of cooperation with major platforms, including Qyer.com, Qunar, and Trip.com Group. Azerbaijan’s tourism potential was showcased at major exhibitions such as COTTM 2023, GITF 2024, and ITB China 2025, as well as through presentations in various Chinese cities. Promotional campaigns have also been conducted on WeChat, Weibo, Qunar, C-trip, Fliggy, Douyin, and Little Red Book (Xiaohongshu), supported by blogger visits. Wider media campaigns and a series of promotional events across Chinese cities are planned for the coming year.