Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

Baku Shopping Festival, truly a shopper’s paradise, is open for just a month, for residents and all guests of the capital.

The city offers huge discounts in about 600 companies for a unique shopping experience. Baku's malls, markets, general retail stores and experience venues all go on promotion.

From huge discounts to amazing deals, competitions and prizes, residents and tourists have multiple opportunities to get their hands on fashion, toys, furniture, electronics and jewellery.

International Media Trainer and consultant Dan Mason in an interview with the official website of the Festival (www.bakushopfest.com) said that Baku Shopping Festival can contribute to the influx of tourists to Azerbaijan.

He noted that the current level of manat creates a good opportunity for visitors of the country.

“Compared with previous years, now it is much easier to get a tourist visa to Azerbaijan. Baku is a great place to relax and at the same time is a safe city, which is important. But for many people, Azerbaijan remains a mystery. The shopping festival has become more ambitious and this time a lot of attention is paid to entertainment and "Tax-Free" campaigns are held. So, everything is going in the right direction,” Mason said.

The expert believes that with the help of media and social networks it is necessary to spread the information about this grandiose event.

Speaking about the importance of the festival, Mason noted that it is important to let the world know about Azerbaijan as much as possible.

“Retail trade is an important driving force of the economy - the more foreign currency enters the country, the more incentive and opportunity there is for entrepreneurs. I would like to see at the festival not only stores, but also specific features inherent in Azerbaijan. I was impressed by Azerbaijani handicraft, cultural exhibitions, as well as food exhibitions during Formula 1, held in Baku. Why not to encourage unique arts, crafts and regional food industry with the help of the festival and not show the world that Azerbaijan is a unique country where traditions and modernity are combined?” the expert believes.

Mason added that Baku is a good place to host a shopping festival.

“I've been at the shopping festivals in Dubai and other cities and undoubtedly festivals create a kind of fuss in the cities they held. Travel is becoming easier and therefore dynamic cities to attract tourists are looking for new ways. This also contributes to increasing competitiveness between cities. Baku has a favorable and terrific location, being at the junction of the West and the East, which is an important factor for attracting tourists,” Mason said.

The colorful Shopping Festival, which aims to turn Baku into a regional trading center, between October 15 and November 15 will stimulate rise of the tourist influx. The second edition of the festival will be marked by a number of innovations.

Special tour packages for travel agencies will be presented for the first time during the 2nd Baku Shopping Festival. The tour packages will include air ticket, transfer, insurance, hotel accommodation, as well as shopping tours.

Azerbaijani and foreign guests, who made purchases worth more than 100 manats in stores labeled with the “Baku Shopping Festival - Tax Free” stickers, get an opportunity to return a certain part of the value-added tax (VAT) from the amount spent. VAT refund is only possible in the stores labeled with these stickers. The certain part of the VAT amount can be refunded in cash or by transfer to a customer’s card/bank account.

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz