POSTPOST SHOWSHOW REPORTREPORT A single exhibition in . The leader in the Caucasus Region.

AITF is a specialised exhibition that reflects the trends in the Caucasus region’s tourism and hospitality industry, attracting the attention of industry professionals from all over the world. The evidence of the real role of the tourism industry in the economy of Azerbaijan and the high status of the exhibition was demonstrated by the consecutive annual visit of the President of Azerbaijan, H.E. .

During his tour the President visited the stands with National Tourism Organizations of TURKEY, BULGARIA, SLOVENIA, INDONESIA, OAE.and other intrenational and local booths.

Opening Ceremony

The official opening ceremony was attended by the Minister for Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan, Abulfaz Garayev, and the Executive Director of ITE Group, Mr Edward Strachan. Minister Abulfas Garayev noted that the exhibition is considered by many international organisations as the most influential event in the tourism industry in the region. Proof of this came from the letter from the Secretary General of UNWTO Mr. Taleb Rifai, which noted that AITF offers great opportunities for tourism development. The role of the government of Azerbaijan, which has continued to focus on tourism development as a key area for economic investment, was highlighted in the message from the Secretary General of UNWTO.

The VIP tour of the exhibition stands was joined by the Minister for Resorts and Tourism of Crimea, Alexander Liev, and the Minister for Resorts and Tourism of the Stavropol Region, Valentina Chentsova, as well as extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassadors, participants, visitors and media representatives. AITF2013 exhibitors countries Austria Georgia Latvia Seychelles national & regional boards Azerbaijan Germany Lithuania Slovenia • Azerbaijan • Indonesia • Slovenia Bulgaria Greece Luxembourg Spain • Bulgaria • Cyprus • Turkey Canada Greece Maldives Switzerland • Czech republic • Crimea, Ukraine China Hungary Monaco Thailand • Dubai • Iran debut Czech republic India Montenegro Tunisia • Georgia • Montenegro debut Dubai (OAE) Indonesia Morocco Turkey • Egypt • Morocco debut Egypt Iran Cyprus Ukraine • Russia, Stavropol Region • Thailand debut France Italy Russia • Russia, Dagestan Republic • Tunisia debut • France • Hungary debut

72,2% satisfied with the business contacts they made at the exhibition

63% satisfied with the number of trade visitors

93% satisfied with the entire organisation and management of the fair

69% of exhibitors planning to participate in AITF2014

Exhibitors’ statistics New Destinations Number of companies : 279 Countries : 35 • TUNISIA Number of national groups : 20 • MOROCCO International participants : 62,5% • MONTENEGRO Local participants : 37,5% • CANADA Destinations presented : 62 • MONACO AITF2013 visitors’ profile

AITF2013 hosted 6348 visitors during 3 days of the exhibition.

The exhibition was packed visitors’ general statistics* each and every day. This time first 2 days AITF was opened Number of visitors : 6348 only to proffessional visitors International visitors : 11% and hosted buyers. B2B system increased the level of tourist Local visitors : 89% industry professionals up to 79- Trade visitors : 79% percent against 68% in the last year.

The total attendance for the visitors by activity three days was over 8,500 Travel agencies & operators : 37.6% people, representing an 11- percent growth in the number Hotel industry specialists : 23.2% of professional visitors. Airlines reps : 7.5% Government reps : 12% The approximate statistics of Mass media reps : 7.3% business negotiations at stands is as follows: over 7,8 thousand important international contacts with visitors by position industry experts were made visitors by position during the event. These Director/GM : 14.2% contacts will now bind Azerbaijan further with other Head of department : 12.8% parts of the globe. Sales Manager : 38.7% Others : 37.5%

* UFI approved figures What they say about AITF

“The AITF exhibition is evaluated by many international organisations as the most influential and triggering event that promotes the tourism industry development in the whole region. AITF has already become a tradition in line with the most anticipated events of the entire touristic community.” Abulfas Garayev, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan

“Over the past decade, AITF has gone from strength to strength, becoming the leading networking forum for the tourism sector in the Caspian area and reflecting the dynamic growth of the tourism industry in the region. In 2013, with the participation of more top industry players than ever before, I am confident AITF will maintain this reputation”. Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)

“For the third year running and not without reason, Turkey is a partner-country for the International Travel and Tourism Fair, AITF. Our state observes huge potential in the development of relations in this direction between the two countries. We are very much satisfied with the arrangement quality of AITF, the business atmosphere reigning in the pavilions of the exhibition centre and the work process at the stands of countries and companies.” Murat Karapinar Gunduz, representative of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey

“Bulgaria is for the first time represented at the Azerbaijan International Travel and Tourism Fair as a guest-country. And I can declare with confidence that we have already expressed to the organisers our wish to participate as a guest-country in the next exhibition. We are confident that the AITF exhibition will set a beginning to the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria not only in the field of tourism, but also in the other sectors of economy.” Petko Angelov, Deputy Head of the Trade and Economic Mission of the Embassy of Bulgaria in Azerbaijan

“According to international experts, the AITF exhibition has entered the history of exhibition industry in our republic as a new phase of successful development of Azerbaijan’s tourism sector. It is common knowledge that SW Travel is a leading touristic company in Azerbaijan, equipped with the latest technical achievements and as in previous years SW Travel is a sponsor to the Azerbaijan International Travel and Tourism Fair, AITF 2012.” Shirzad Afandiyev, Director of SW Travel company

“Within the boundaries of the CIS market, Azerbaijan is a priority area as we have witnessed a considerable increase in the intensity of tourists’ inflow from Azerbaijan over the past years. Nowadays, Azerbaijan rates 4th following Russia, Ukraine andKazakhstan.” Sergey Kanaev, Director of the DTCM’s representative office for Russia, CIS and Baltic States (AITF2012)

“During his official visit to , the President of Croatia declared readiness to develop tourism relations with Azerbaijan and we are very happy that our aspiration to develop touristic ties with Azerbaijan was supported at such high level. At this exhibition, we are striving to implement the political decisions of the two presidents.” Zoran Carapic, CEO, Atlantis Travel Group (AITF2012)

“We are pleased with the organisational quality of the exhibition, the business atmosphere reigning in the pavilions of the exhibition centre, and the degree of interest that the common and professional visitors take in the stand of our country.” Prayono Atiyanto, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Azerbaijan AITF2013 Business program the most popular topics for the professionals in the frame of the fair: Public presentations and workshops certainly Kick-off Meeting of the EU Twinning Project ”STRENGTHENING THE Kick-off Meeting of the EU Twinning Project ”STRENGTHENING THE contributed to the active interaction of participants CAPACITY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM IN THE MINISTRY OF and trade visitors, who discovered useful CULTURE AND TOURISM OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN” information about developments in the travel by the representatives of EU Twinning Project and the Ministry of Culture and tourism of Azerbaijan industry.

NEW IDEA OF THAILAND PROMOTION AT AZERBAIJANI MARKET by TAT Moscow, Tourism Authority of Thailand THAILAND ALL YEAR ROUND by SAYAMA Travel Co. Ltd

NEW RESERVATION TECHNOLOGIES. On-line hotel booking system around the world. by SW TRAVEL

CROATIA IS OUR BEAUTY, CROATIA ONLINE by ATLANTIS TRAVEL

DIRECT FLIGHTS TO GREECE by NOMOS TRAVEL

AITF supported by

Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan

The World Tourism Organisation(UNWTO)

International Tourism Trade Fairs Association

National Confederation of The Entrepreneurs SeeSee YouYou nextnext AITFAITF (Employers) Organisations of Azerbaijan Republic (AEC) 33--55 AprilApril 20142014 Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation