Florian Sengstschmid has more than 25 years of experience in the tourism industry. He worked for the Austrian Tourism Association as regional director for Russia and the CIS countries and, during his stay in Moscow, also as a commercial attaché at the Austrian embassy. As an independent tourism advisor, Sengstschmid supported a large number of countries in developing tourism. In 2018 he was appointed Chief Executive of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB).

Breaking Travel News: What is the Current Status of Inbound Tourism to Azerbaijan? And what changes did you make to keep working during the pandemic?

Florian Sengstschmid: The situation with Covid-19 led to the closure of the borders and had a significant negative impact on the global tourism industry.
Azerbaijan is no exception.

Undoubtedly, the number of inbound travelers has decreased significantly due to restrictions on international travel.

During these times, our main goal has been to bring together all stakeholders and actors along the tourism supply chain in order to eliminate the difficulties caused by the pandemic and to minimize the impact on the industry.

We have worked closely with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that after the international travel ban is lifted and the borders reopened, we are ready to welcome visitors from all over the world again.

Regarding the recovery, ATB quickly prepared a four-phase plan in which the first phase meant the lockdown and the second phase the start of the domestic tourism campaign.

In phase three, the borders will be reopened to international tourists and marketing campaigns will resume.

And phase four will signal a return to the “new normal” when tourists can explore the country again.

Of course, the safety of visitors and residents is our top priority.

That is why we have introduced SAHMAN (Hygiene and Hygiene Methods and Standards), an innovative health and safety program for actors in the local industry to improve hygiene and hygiene standards, which has been audited and certified by PwC.

It focuses on providers of accommodation, food and drink, and transport companies – three key aspects of the tourism value chain.

More than 11,000 monitoring sessions have been held to date and we can safely say that the dedication and dedication of industry partners are finally producing positive results.

We have also launched the Tourism Training & Certification Center set up by ATB. This is a great initiative that shows how important education is for sustainable development in all areas.

With the aim of improving the quality of service and maintaining the development of the tourism sector in Azerbaijan, the center offers various courses by professional instructors for members of the tourism industry and uses innovative teaching methods.

Another initiative is Azerbaijan 101 – an e-learning platform designed to support the training and development of travel agencies and representatives in the global tourism industry.

The collection of online training and engagement tools has been introduced for those who want to find out more about what Azerbaijan has to offer.

We are also committed to the big shift to digital connections to keep track of Azerbaijan through webinars, virtual conversations, online conferences and other activities.

BTN: How do you see the next year for inbound tourism to Azerbaijan? With the resumption of international travel, are you thankfully expecting a busy summer season again?

FS: The country is gradually recovering from lockdowns and positive momentum has allowed authorities to gradually relax restrictions on the quarantine regime.

At the moment, the outlook is positive as there are few Covid-19 cases in Azerbaijan and a vaccination program is underway that will hopefully allow us to resume and revive tourism here.

Since Azerbaijan is not a mass tourism destination, it will be easier and safer for travelers to enjoy the country’s sustainable and authentic tourism experiences when the time is right.

Azerbaijan prides itself on being a travel destination that offers authentic experiences and we at ATB strive to reinforce this unique trait through various projects and initiatives.

In the years to come, we will certainly focus on developing new tourism products and experiences and perfecting the infrastructure to meet all the needs of our visitors and satisfy all types of travelers.

Once the international travel restrictions are lifted, people will be ready to travel and Azerbaijan will still be here, offering unforgettable experiences and opportunities to see this beautiful country again.

With the introduction of the vaccines, we will resume our digital marketing and communication in the world once the international travel restrictions are relaxed.

In the first half of this year we will also personally take part in some trade fairs and open representative offices in new markets.

Our plan is to continue using webinars and other digital tools until face-to-face communication and promotion of travel destinations is possible again at trade shows, travel shows and roadshow campaigns.

Big international events like Formula 1 and the UEFA Euro Games also give us a great opportunity to make Azerbaijan known as a travel destination around the world. In the post-pandemic period, there are plans to market the target more strongly than ever.

BTN: Describe what the lockdown experience was like in Azerbaijan and Baku in particular and how it was compared to the hustle and bustle of normal times.

FS: The government of Azerbaijan responded very quickly to the crisis by setting up an operational headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers to closely monitor the spread of Covid-19 and administer a special quarantine regime for all residents of Azerbaijan at the beginning of the pandemic.

This included a comprehensive set of restrictions on movement, work, trade and operations that were tightened or relaxed depending on the current virus situation during the pandemic.

International borders were closed and travel restrictions imposed, with only a few categories of visitors allowed to enter the country.

Certainly the situation in the country was and is completely different than in the pre-pandemic period, when people lived on the streets without masks, social distancing was not on everyone’s lips and face-to-face meetings were the most common and convenient way of communication.

During the pandemic, our top priority is keeping visitors and residents safe.

In terms of opportunities, the pandemic has allowed us to slow down, reevaluate, and realign our strategy so that we can develop a new roadmap to shape our future activities.

We also learned to use new digital technologies to keep in touch with our global partners and to keep the world updated and interested in Azerbaijan.

BTN: Why is collaboration across the global travel industry so important to navigating the post-pandemic landscape?

FS: In these challenging times for the global tourism industry, it is more important than ever to reconnect and stay in touch with partners and stakeholders in the industry.

We at ATB are working closely with the relevant stakeholders in this area to ensure that after the lifting of the international travel ban and the reopening of the borders, we are ready to welcome visitors from all over the world again.

It is also important to promote the exchange of knowledge and experience, to communicate with players in the industry along the entire value chain and to share our vision and ideas about the future of tourism, be it for travel destinations, players in the hospitality industry or infrastructure developers.

This helps to share our experiences and learn from our peers to ensure the industry gets stronger and recovers from the crisis very soon.

BTN: What trends do you see in the areas of travel and tourism after the crisis?

FS: With the global vaccination process going on, the borders will surely open up again soon and visitors will return as we cannot live without traveling and exploring.

Traveling in the “new normal” may never be the same again, but different doesn’t mean worse and we can expect it to be healthier, less crowded and more sustainable.

Travelers will definitely prioritize responsible, environmentally friendly and socially conscious tourism.

They will trust destinations with good governance and health systems, and many health protocols that were passed during the pandemic will remain in place, such as social distancing and travel to less crowded areas.

Additionally, people are now looking for authentic travel with experiential and transformative experiences that promise true cultural immersion.

Azerbaijan offers many inimitable opportunities to tourists looking for responsible travel experiences.

As a tourist destination, we strive to ensure that the local industry adapts to the new demands of travelers and offers the best travel experiences in the “new normal” after the pandemic.

BTN: Have you had any positive changes in your own views in response to the crisis?

FS: The spread of Covid-19 has forced us to live in unprecedented times and the tourism industry worldwide has suffered immensely from border closings and travel bans.

One of the biggest challenges was certainly not being able to face in person and therefore having to adjust to working online and promoting the goal through webinars, online trade shows and other digital means.

However, a crisis not only brings challenges, but also new opportunities and growth opportunities.

The pandemic made it possible for us to develop new strategies, to use new possibilities and means for promotion and communication and to strengthen the cooperation with our partners from all over the world.

We were able to focus on strengthening the target’s existing assets, promoting knowledge and capacity building, and contributing to community development through various initiatives.

Undoubtedly, the idea of ​​”slowing down” is alien to those of us in the travel industry.

We have always tried to get higher, move faster, see and experience more.

As the world gradually recovers from the pandemic, I am sure of a successful morning in which we will emerge stronger than ever.

More information

Find out more about the Azerbaijan Tourism Board on the official website.

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