BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 30. The Embassy of Kazakhstan in Azerbaijan hosted an official ceremony today to sign the founding documents establishing the joint Kazakh-Azerbaijani tour operator “TurAn,” a new initiative aimed at strengthening tourism cooperation between the two countries, Trend reports.
The event was attended by Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Alim Bayel, representatives of Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency, and leading industry experts.
The project has been implemented through the joint efforts of Discover Jetisu (Kazakhstan) and Smile Azerbaijan Tour (Azerbaijan), both of which have experience in international tourism markets. "TurAn" has become the first joint private tourism company between the two countries, with a 50/50 equity stake from both sides. The company’s charter capital amounts to $100,000.
The company will provide a wide range of tourism services, including ecotourism, cultural and gastronomic tours, as well as medical and business tourism.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Alim Bayel highlighted the successful development of bilateral relations across various sectors, noting that the creation of a unified tour operator will further strengthen cooperation and enhance the international appeal of the region as a single tourist destination. He also emphasized the positive dynamics in mutual tourism flows in recent years and noted that similar initiatives aim to further increase tourist exchanges.
The diplomat recalled that in 2024-2025, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Baku organized joint tourism forums aimed at developing sectoral cooperation.
Air connectivity between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan is well developed, with direct flights operated by airlines such as Air Astana, FlyArystan, and Azerbaijan Airlines on routes linking Baku with Astana, Almaty, Aktau, Atyrau, and Shymkent. The total number of weekly flights exceeds 30.
