On August 27, the presentation of the “China Ready” program, aimed at turning Azerbaijan into a preferred tourism destination for Chinese travelers, as well as ensuring the readiness of the tourism industry to welcome and serve Chinese tourists, was held.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency Fuad Nagiyev noted that President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit to China in April this year defined new perspectives and tasks for the development of bilateral relations in the field of tourism. He emphasized that the agreement on mutual visa exemption between the citizens of both countries will contribute to an increase in tourist flows, as well as to the expansion of business activities, economic, humanitarian, and cultural relations in the field of tourism.
He added that China is one of the main strategic and priority markets for Azerbaijani tourism, and that in recent times a significant increase in the number of Chinese tourists has been observed. He also stated that in order to ensure active representation and better evaluate the potential of the Chinese market, the opening of a permanent representative office of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board in China is planned in the near future.
Within the framework of the “China Ready” program, more than 100 representatives of the tourism industry, including hotel, transport services, guides, and airport staff, will receive training from experts on practical recommendations and current approaches for operating in the Chinese market. The training will cover presentations on the dynamics of the Chinese tourism market, brand building tailored to the expectations of Chinese tourists, tourism product development, consumer behavior models, and strategies for entering the Chinese tourism market.
Participants who successfully complete the training and pass the final exam will be awarded an official certificate and will receive updated information on the Chinese tourism market via email over the next 12 months.
It should be noted that “China Ready” is an internationally recognized training and certification system. Officially recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, the program defines the essential requirements for welcoming Chinese tourists. Established in 2002, the “China Ready” program has already been implemented in 53 countries across 6 continents as a model for countries seeking to increase their competitiveness in the Chinese tourism market.
In 2024, the number of Chinese citizens visiting the Republic of Azerbaijan increased by 93% compared to 2023, reaching 44,798. In the first 7 months of the current year alone, more than 34,000 Chinese citizens visited our country, which represents a 56% increase.
