Ukraine hopes to increase flow of Azerbaijani tourists to Crimea
Today, millions of tourists travel to the Crimea, and some 20,000 of them are Azerbaijanis, 70 per cent of whom have visited Crimea for medical tourism, Minister of Resorts and Tourism of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea Alexander Liev has said at a press conference in Baku.
According to him, Ukraine received six million tourists last year.
"We have found a reliable partner in Azerbaijan, SW Travel. Based on this company, we hope to increase the flow of Azerbaijani tourists to Crimea", he said.
Crimea is ready to provide the visitors from Azerbaijan with all kinds of medical tourism, Liev says.
"We are ready to train agents from Azerbaijan in the tourism business and in particular, work in a health resort area. We are also ready to provide some discounts on airport services in the Crimea for the AZAL airline to foster mutual tourism," the minister said.
According to him, there is also a proposal to open Azerbaijan's
tourism office in Crimea.
"I intend to speak about this proposal at the meeting with the
Minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan Abulfas Garayev,"
Liev said.
The minister said Ukraine intends to study the experience of Azerbaijan in holding the Eurovision Song Contest, as this year the country looks forward to the success of its representative Zlata Ognevich, who arrived in Baku with a delegation from Crimea.
According to the Ukrainian ambassador to Azerbaijan Alexander Mishchenko, tourism is one of the priority areas of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
According to the ambassador, it is planned to organise Days of Culture of Ukraine in Azerbaijan in June, timed to coincide with the visit of Ukrainian Foreign Minister, the OSCE Chairman Leonid Kozhara in Baku.
The fourth meeting of the Council of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Ukraine will also be held this year, the ambassador added.
Alexander Liev is on a visit to Azerbaijan on April 2-5.
During the visit, the minister will attend the opening of the Tourism and Travel international exhibition (AITF-2013) to be held in Baku on April 4-6, where Ukrainian companies will present their own stand.
The AITF-2013 exhibition will be attended by companies from 35 countries working in various tourist destinations.