17 Nov 2025
Please select your language of preference.
China Visitors Summit (CVS) was held in Baku on November 17 and was co-organized by the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (STA) and Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB), together with I2I Group, with sponsorship from Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), Absheron Hotel Group, Baku Marriott Boulevard Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Gabala Hospitality Group, and Ulu Hospitality.
The event brought together representatives of tourism industry from Azerbaijan and more than 50 travel companies from China. Participants discussed current developments in the sector and potential cooperation opportunities between the two countries.
Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, emphasized that two key directions currently in focus to deepen cooperation with China: implementing the “China Ready” Programme in Azerbaijan and expanding marketing activities in China.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Azerbaijan, Lu Mei, noted tourism has become an important part of bilateral relations and stated that the summit supports practical cooperation between the tourism industries of both countries.
Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board, highlighted ATB’s continuous efforts since its establishment in 2018 to build a strong network of partners in China across the travel and media landscape. Additionally, he mentioned the ongoing collaborations with major Chinese platforms, current marketing activities, and plans to launch a guide training program to support the development of a new generation of Chinese-speaking guides.
CVS is an international platform held annually in various countries with the participation of Chinese travel companies. The program in Baku included B2B meetings between Chinese and Azerbaijani companies to discuss future collaboration. As part of the visit, Chinese travel companies will travel to the regions of Shamakhi, Gabala, Shaki, and Gakh to learn about the local tourism potential.
In 2024, the number of visitors from China increased by 94% compared to 2023, reaching 44,798. From January to October 2025, more than 57,000 visitors arrived from China, which is a 49% increase compared to previous year.
