By Trend
The number of Azerbaijani tourists visiting Latvia has increased
by 26 percent year-on-year as of 2018, Minister of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs said in an exclusive
interview with Trend.
"Latvian tourists have come to appreciate the wonderful
Azerbaijani hospitality and your ancient culture. We notice that
Latvian tourists keep returning to your country year after year,
which is a positive sign. It is also exciting to see this trend in
reverse. According to the 2018 statistics, 2988 tourists from
Azerbaijan visited Latvia, which is a 26% increase year-on year,"
said the minister.
He went on to add that to enhance tourism, the Investment and
Development Agency of Latvia has organised a campaign to promote
inbound medical tourism ventures from Azerbaijan to Latvia.
"Medical tourism is seen as a high value added product and, in
our experience, it brings the much desired customers to our
destinations," added Rinkēvičs.
Further, he said Latvia is pleased that Riga and Baku are linked
by direct seasonal air traffic.
AirBaltic, the flag carrier of Latvia, also offers flights from
Riga to Tallinn and Vilnius, the capitals of Estonia and Lithuania,
added the minister.
Further, talking about the overall bilateral cooperation,
Rinkēvičs said that still, there is a huge potential for further
expansion of the relations, especially in the humanitarian,
educational and cultural areas.
In this regard, he pointed out that in the 2017/2018 academic
year, 129 Azerbaijani students were enrolled in the higher
education institutions of Latvia.
"In 2018, seven young Azerbaijani professionals took part in
Riga Graduate School of Law programmes in European Law and
Economics. The Latvian film "Dream Team 1935" was screened at the
European Film Festival in Baku in October 2018. The conference
"From National Independence to Eastern Partnership: Story of
Cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Baltic States" was held in
the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy on October 17, 2018," said the
minister.
Rinkēvičs noted that Azerbaijan is an important partner to
Latvia in the South Caucasus region.
"Close cooperation has been established not only between the
leaders of our countries, but also between parliaments,
governments, local authorities and other institutions. Latvia has
always supported the strengthening of relationship between the
European Union (EU) and Azerbaijan. Latvia welcomes the
negotiations on the EU and Azerbaijan Strategic Partnership
Agreement, which, along with energy and transport issues, will also
address the reform process in Azerbaijan, thereby improving
prospects for cooperation between Latvia and Azerbaijan," he
added.
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