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Qabil Ashirov

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Azerbaijan’s outreach to Jordan points to a broader ambition: positioning the country as a competitive destination for Middle Eastern travellers. The meetings held in Amman on November 2, bringing together 66 tourism representatives from 48 companies, show how that ambition is being pursued. The agenda covered air connectivity, visa procedures, commercial partnerships and the promotion of destinations across Azerbaijan. These are building blocks of a tourism export strategy, with benefits extending beyond hotels and airlines.

The market already has meaningful scale. Azerbaijan received 2.57 million foreign visitors in 2025, while arrivals from Middle Eastern countries reached 301,318, a 13.1 percent annual increase. This regional growth is significant against a 2.1 percent decline in total foreign arrivals. It shows that the Middle East can provide growth when the wider inbound market faces pressure. Saudi Arabia accounted for 104,364 visitors, the UAE for 43,821 and Kuwait for 26,371. Jordan contributed 10,718 visitors, up 49.9 percent year on year.

These figures make Jordan a promising market and a gateway to a wider Arab audience. Its visitor volume remains smaller than Saudi Arabia’s or the UAE’s, yet its growth rate signals rising interest. A targeted strategy can build on that momentum through travel partnerships, destination marketing and convenient transport links. The Amman event creates a network through which Azerbaijani hotels, tour operators, transport providers and experience-based businesses can reach customers.

The spending dimension strengthens the economic case. Tourists from Persian Gulf countries spent approximately 399 million manats in Azerbaijan in 2025, according to reported State Statistics Committee figures. Nearly 195,000 visitors came from those countries. This equals average reported spending of roughly 2,046 manats per visitor. The calculation is indicative, since spending varies by nationality, trip duration and travel purpose. Even so, it illustrates the value of visitors using accommodation, restaurants, shopping, transport, wellness services and regional excursions.

Tourism functions as an export industry. A foreign visitor purchases Azerbaijani services, bringing external demand into the domestic economy. Revenue circulates through hotels, restaurants, taxis, retail outlets, food suppliers, cultural venues and small businesses. A visitor in Baku may also travel to Gabala, Guba, Gusar or Sheki, distributing expenditure across regions. This creates opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and local supply chains, particularly where tourism complements agriculture, crafts and hospitality.

Air connectivity will determine how much potential becomes business. Azerbaijan and Jordan currently rely primarily on weekly seasonal charter flights operated by AZAL and Fly Jordan. Additional connections, predictable schedules and cooperation between airlines and tour operators could make travel easier to package and sell. Visa simplification would reinforce this objective by reducing friction during trip planning. Together, these measures can support year-round travel, provided commercial demand and airline economics justify sustainable services. For destinations competing across the region, flight frequency, fares, journey time and booking convenience shape decisions alongside advertising, scenery and the quality of local hospitality services.

The product offered to Middle Eastern travellers also matters. Azerbaijan can combine a city break in Baku with mountain resorts, winter recreation, family holidays, gastronomy, cultural heritage and wellness. Halal-friendly services add a relevant selling point for many visitors from predominantly Muslim markets. The strongest proposition is a varied itinerary: days in the capital, followed by regional experiences that increase length of stay and visitor spending.

The next stage should be measured through commercial indicators: arrivals by source market, average stay, per-capita expenditure, hotel occupancy, regional overnight stays, flight frequency and repeat visits. Marketing campaigns can then be assessed against bookings and spending. Partnerships with Jordanian travel agencies should develop packaged itineraries, transparent prices and reliable service standards.

Azerbaijan’s Middle East opportunity is larger than a single promotion event. The 301,318 regional visitors recorded in 2025, 13.1 percent growth and 399 million manats spent by Persian Gulf tourists point to an export market with substantial value. Converting interest into regular travel requires coordinated action across aviation, visas, destination management and private business. Jordan offers a timely starting point. With sustained investment in connectivity and market-specific products, Azerbaijan can turn regional demand into higher tourism receipts, wider regional employment and a more diversified non-oil economy. This approach can strengthen Azerbaijan’s position across regional travel markets steadily.