Tourism cooperation with Astrakhan to receive impulse
By Leman Mammadova
The State Tourism Agency and the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation signed a cooperation agreement.
The signing took place within the framework of the meeting between the Governor of the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation Sergey Morozov and the Chairman of the State Tourism Agency Fuad Naghiyev, the Agency told AZERTAC.
The parties agreed on a number of issues to develop long-term and constructive relations in the field of tourism.
The two discussed the importance of restoring flights between the cities of Baku and Astrakhan to boost tourism relations. They also touched upon the implementation of a cruise project in the Caspian Sea.
The meeting aimed to promote tourist products of both parties and facilitate tourism exchange between Azerbaijan and the Astrakhan region.
An agreement has been reached between the parties to benefit from joint tourism programs and projects and developing direct cooperation between tour operators.
At present, the project of a cruise between the Caspian countries, that will boost tourism and transit potential of the littoral states, is at the development stage. Approximate commissioning of the liner is scheduled for next year. At the first stage, trips will be organized on the Astrakhan-Baku route, and, then, the route will be further expanded until 2020.
Azerbaijan is one of the main economic partners of Russia among the CIS countries. The trade turnover between two countries amounted to $2.14 billion in 2017. Azerbaijan invested more than $1 billion in the Russian economy, and Russia invested about $4 billion in the economy of Azerbaijan.
At present, enterprises of 71 regions of the Russian Federation cooperate directly with Azerbaijan. Fifteen regions of Russia have relevant agreements with Azerbaijan on trade and economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation.
Astrakhan is the center of the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation. This city, named after Haji Tarkhan in the XIII-XIV centuries, became an important trading center on the seabed of the Volga River, located on the Silk Road in the Caspian Sea. Such a favorable geographical position allowed the old city to become the largest transportation hub of the entire Lower Volga region. Railway and air traffic, sea and river port of the Volga-Caspian basin made the city a frequently visited place not only in the list of connoisseurs of rich cultural heritage. The population of Astrakhan is multiethnic though it is mostly Russian. At present, Tatars, the main population of the region in the past, make up only 7 percent of the population. The main industry in the city is fuel-energy sector.
The Azerbaijan-Russia Bridge of Friendship was inaugurated in Astrakhan, Russia in 2012.
The opening of the business center of Azerbaijan, built on the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, took place in the Russian city of Astrakhan this year to introduce Made in Azerbaijan brand abroad. The interested Russian companies also have opportunity to conclude long-term contracts with specific suppliers from Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijani investors became the first foreign businessmen in Astrakhan’s Lotos special economic zone in 2017. Azerbaijan’s ATEF Group of Companies launched the construction of a plant for the production of electrical equipment in the special economic zone. The construction of an electrical equipment plant with $ 18 mln in investment is currently underway.
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