October 2024
Market specific information
Significance for Azerbaijan
India is one of the key target markets for the tourism sector in Azerbaijan currently growing in the number of guests, overnight stays and expenditures nestling among the top 5 countries visiting Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan is an exciting and attractive destination for tourists from India. Indians appreciate Azerbaijan’s open society, hospitality, European-styled cities, regular festivals and sports events. It is a land of specific interest for Zoroastrians and accessible Indian cuisine.
Main holidays period
- April-May – families with kids
- April-May and October – November individual travellers
- October-November – young couples
- November- February – wedding couples
- January-March – honeymooners
Tourist Information
Profile of the tourist
Indians prefer to travel abroad during festivals and long weekends; however, international travel bookings are booming even for short weekend trips. Around 30-40% of Indians are vegetarians, and the majority communicate in English. The real driver of growth for the global travel industry is its surging middle class.
Holiday types
- City breaks: Explore the urban landscapes of cities around the world and enjoy city walks
- Family and children’s resorts: High interest in spending time with families
- Adventure and Sports Holidays: Golf, paragliding, skiing, shooting and jeep tours
- Shopping: High interest in shopping among foreign brands and local bazaars
- Beach vacations and water activities: Kitesurfing, yachting and water scooter
Preferences
- Safety and Security: Prioritize safe and stable destinations
- Value for Money: Seek good value and transparent pricing
- Easy visa procedures: User-friendly e-visa platforms or visa on arrivals
- Attitude and language environment: friendly and good citizens and English language
- Existence of native cuisine: Indian cuisine, chefs and restaurants
- Appropriate tourism infrastructure: excellent range of 4-5 stars hotels
Average Spending
The average spending for Indian tourists in international markets was 800 USD per trip in 2023.
Key travel audience
- Free individual
- Group travellers
- Corporate travellers
- Honeymoon and wedding travellers
Information source
- Social media and search engines: Facebook (30%), Instagram (19%), YouTube (30%), WhatsApp (28%), and Google Plus (19%)
- Friends’ recommendations (Word of Mouth)
- Online travel agencies (OTAs)
- Travel agencies
Planning and travel decision period
- Longer trips of 7-10 days are planned for at least 2-3 months in advance
- Shorter trips with 4-5 days are scheduled around longer weekends, New Year and festival holidays
Means for purchase
- Plans holiday trips independently
- Book via Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)
- Via travel agents
Distribution system
- Online travel agencies (OTAs): Make My Trip, Pick Your Trail, ClearTrip
- Tour operators: DOOK International and Akbar Holidays
- Hotels and private accommodation booked online: TBO.com, Booking.com and Airbnb
Special interest tourism
- unexplored destination
- regular festivals and sports events
- shopping experience with good brands
- accessible Indian cuisine
Travel duration
The average Indian traveller generally stays 9-12 days, most exploring new destinations.
Travel trade information
List of leading tourism companies
- Thomas Cook India
- SOTC Travel
- Yatra
- MakeMyTrip
- Cox & Kings
- EaseMyTrip
- Akbar Travels
- Goibibo
- Expedia India
Direct flights
- Azerbaijan Airlines (azal.az), Delhi-Baku, 3 times per week
- Azerbaijan Airlines (azal.az), Mumbai-Baku, 4 times per week
- IndiGo Airlines (goindigo.in), Delhi-Baku, daily flights
Updated information about flight connectivity can be found on the interactive board of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Major events in the market
- SATTE Travel Expo in Delhi
- OTM Travel Expo in Mumbai
- MICE India & Luxury Travel Congress
- Exotic Wedding Planning Conference India
Indian tourists in Azerbaijan: Key insights
Arrivals
The number of Indian arrivals to Azerbaijan increased steadily from 4,853 in 2014 to 65,118 in 2019, representing an overall growth of more than 13 times.
From 2022 to 2023, the numbers started to recover post-pandemic, with arrivals increasing by 93% in 2023 compared to 2022, e.g. from 60,731 to 117,302, indicating a strong recovery trend.
In the first half of 2024, the arrivals reached 118,985 which is already more than the annual figure of 2023, which was 117,302, indicating a very positive trend in travel patterns for Indians to Azerbaijan.
Source: State Migration Service
Purpose of Visit
95% of Indian visitors to Azerbaijan travel for leisure and entertainment purposes, while 4% visit for business reasons in 2023.
Average Spending
The average Indian tourist spends 2,170 AZN in Azerbaijan, with 54% of their budget allocated to transport, followed by accommodation (19%) and food (16%) in 2023.
Length of Stay
In 2023, 45% of Indians stayed in Azerbaijan for 1-3 nights, 33% stayed for 4-7 nights, and 18% stayed for 8-14 nights.
Popular Regions
The most visited regions by Indians in Azerbaijan are Guba, Gusar, Gobustan, Gabala and Sheki.
Tourist Preferences and Interests
Indian tourists have a strong preference for religious and spiritual Indian heritage sites (Ateshgah, Fire Mountains, Maiden Tower), gastronomy (local, vegan-oriented, Indian in Azerbaijan) and shopping (malls, local bazaars, souvenir shops).
A high interest is also in international events and festivals (Formula 1, celebrations, weddings) combined with outdoor sports events (skiing, paragliding, off-road tours, shootings, golf, horse riding) and wineries (Meysari, Savalan, Chabiant).
Products of Azerbaijan that connect to the Indian market can be grouped into “Fits all” – products that all first-time visitors should see or experience, “Add-ons” – products that can be seen or experienced with longer or repeat visits, and “Tailored” – products that are considered of specific relevance to the market.
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Fits all
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Add-ons
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Tailored
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Historical Buildings
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- Gobustan petroglyphs
- Baku Old City
- Sheki Khans Palace
- Sheki Upper Caravanserai
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- Yanardag burning mountain
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Monuments
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- Haydar Aliyev Centre
- Maiden Tower
- Ateshgah Fire Temple
- Flame Towers
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Museums, Galleries & Libraries
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- Heydar Aliyev Center
- Shirvanshah Museum
- Carpet Museum
- Gobustan Mud Volcano Centre & Museum
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Sports
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- Ski activities
- Kitesurfing
- Paragliding
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- Golf
- Jeep tours
- Horse riding
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Farms & agricultural production
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Shopping
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Vineyards & wineries
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Festivals and events
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- Formula 1 Grand Prix
- New Year celebrations
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SPAs and Hammams
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- Hammams in Baku and Ganja
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Mountains and Valleys
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Zoos, animal parks & safaris
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- Baku Zoo Park
- Shamakhi safari
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Additional information
Indian outbound tourism forecast
- India's outbound tourism market is projected to reach 18817.72 million USD in 2024 and expand to 11.4% between 2024 and 2034. The growth in the market is primarily attributed to the increasing desire of Indians, especially millennials, to visit international destinations.
- The growth of India’s outbound tourism market: expanding global connectivity with more direct flight routes and competitive airfares, growing desire for experiential travel and cultural exploration among Indian travellers, and the influence of social media showcasing exotic destinations and travel experiences.
Top tips for the Indian market
- Free Individual Traveler: over 25 years of age who often travel overseas on business; DINK segment, sport enthusiasts, spa & wellness, wine & gastronomy, cruises and adventure holidays; take one international holiday and two or three domestic holidays per year; very active on social media and posts pictures while on the trip.
- Group Travelers: usually over 40 years of age who prefer to travel with a group of like-minded individuals; prefer Indian food on tours including vegetarian and non-vegetarian; do not mind traveling long distances on coach buses and flights.
- Corporate market: around 3-4 days; from 15 to 1000 guests; visa facilitation, airline connectivity and conferencing facilities play an important role in choosing a destination.
- Honeymoon and Wedding market: increased preference for international destinations over domestic; wedding planners influence in deciding the destination and the venue; the entire hotels are typically booked for 5 nights.
Contact person
Rovshan Rahimov, Regional Manager for South Asia
