Prices, use terms of BakuCityCard disclosed
By Kamila Aliyeva
Azerbaijan, aiming to develop tourism and support the flow of foreign visitors, continues to take consistent measures. Therefore, it is not surprising that the number of tourists in Azerbaijan increased by 20 percent last year, while in the world this indicator equaled to 7 percent.
The introduction of a special card by means of which tourists will be able to use public transport, visit city museums and cultural centers for free or at a discount in Baku is one of such measures.
The Baku City Card will be issued in three types - daily, three-day and weekly, but during this time its services can be used without a limit.
This was announced on February 28 by spokesman of the National Tourism Promotion Bureau Kanan Guluzade.
The cost of cards will be 36, 60 and 90 manats ($21, $35 and $52) respectively, according to Guluzade.
“Such cards are used in world practice, and Baku has long had a need for them. Cardholders will be able to use them in public transport and museums,” he said.
The Bureau’s spokesman added that these cards can be used by both local citizens and foreigners.
A similar card will be created for Sheki and Gabala, according to general director of PASHA Travel operations Florian Sengstschmid.
It is expected that the card for Baku will be on sale in a few months, he said.
Sengstschmid added that several thousands of daily, three-day and weekly cards will be prepared in advance.
Initially, they will be sold in several information centers. Then, their sale is planned to be carried out through the Baku Transport Agency (BTA).
The project will be financed by PASHA Travel, according to Sengstschmid. The incoming funds will be invested in the development of tourism.
Azerbaijan, the popular destination for many tourists, attracts millions of visitors every year. The country is popular for a number of archaeological and historical sites, decently depicting its past.
The country views tourism development as a priority in its efforts to diversify the non-oil economy. A number of tourist facilities have been built in the regions, and cultural and historical reserves have been set up or restored.
Thanks to all these, Azerbaijan has improved its tourism performance in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 released by experts of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The number of tourists who visited Azerbaijan in January 2018 exceeded 185,000 people, which is 17 percent more compared to January 2017, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
In general, for the past 10 years, the number of tourists visiting the country increased five-fold.
---
Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz