Baku: Azerbaijan's average recognition rate as a tourism destination has increased to 48%, Florian Sengstschmid, Chief Executive Officer of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, said during a panel discussion held as part of the presentation of the World Bank's "Azerbaijan Country Economic Memorandum - Spring 2026" report, APA-Economics reports.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, international studies conducted in 2018-2019 showed that Azerbaijan was virtually unknown as a tourism destination in Europe's key tourism markets. Florian Sengstschmid noted that the results of the latest research conducted in 2025 indicate a significant improvement, with the country's average recognition rate across various foreign markets reaching 48%.

The recognition rate varies significantly across different regions, as Sengstschmid highlighted. It stands at approximately 90% in the Turkish market, 75% in Saudi Arabia, 40% in the UAE, and 30% in Germany.

Florian Sengstschmid attributed this progress to the efforts made since the establishment of the State Tourism Agency in 2018. He explained that several measures have been implemented to build a sustainable and competitive tourism ecosystem in Azerbaijan. These include the adoption of a new Law on Tourism, the introduction of a hotel star classification system, the certification of tour guides, and the implementation of international standards.

Additionally, nine regional tourism offices have been established across the country to foster regional tourism development. Sengstschmid also mentioned that the process of updating Azerbaijan's tourism brand is nearing completion, which is expected to further enhance the country's appeal as a tourist destination.