As all the countries in the world, the tourism development in Azerbaijan has been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. UNWTO has shared various tools to assist Member States in their steps to minimize the effects of the pandemic and to continue the development of tourism, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Zurab Pololikashvili, said in his interview with Report.
According to him, these include the UNWTO Tourism Data Dashboard, the World Tourism Barometer, publications dedicated to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and others: “Recommended steps are to ensure the application of necessary health and safety measures, continue investing in infrastructure, including transportation, accommodation, and tourist facilities, expand and diversify tourism attractions, with special attention to rural tourism, encourage further private sector investments in the tourism industry and further develop and improve tourism education and training processes. We encourage and invite all our member states to ensure sustainable and responsible development of tourism and are ready to support them in the steps they take.”
He noted that the UNWTO strongly supports the initiatives aimed at the development of rural and village tourism.
