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Akbar Novruz

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Discussions are underway with several airlines over expanding international flights to Gabala International Airport, with one carrier assessing the possibility of developing the airport into a regional aviation hub similar to Georgia's Kutaisi Airport, AzerNEWS reports.

The announcement was made by Rashad Aliyev, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of the Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau (ATB) under the State Tourism Agency.

According to Aliyev, activating regional airports and expanding international air connectivity are among the key priorities of Azerbaijan's new state tourism development program.

"Negotiations are currently being held with several airlines regarding the launch of flights to Gabala. One airline is even evaluating the possibility of using Gabala Airport as a regional hub based on the Kutaisi model in Georgia," he said.

Aliyev noted that the initiative is aimed at boosting tourist arrivals to Azerbaijan's regions and making greater use of the country's tourism potential.

He added that the resumption of international flights from regional airports is one of the program's main objectives.

"One of our primary goals is to activate regional airports and restore international flights. Joint work in this direction is being carried out with relevant state institutions and airlines," he said.

According to the ATB official, increasing the number of international flights to regional airports would enable foreign visitors to travel directly to different parts of Azerbaijan, contributing to the further development of regional tourism.