Karabakh has the potential to become a major tourism destination in the future, World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus Rolande Pryce said, APA-Economics reports.
She said it is not possible to express in a specific figure the volume of investment that should be attracted to Azerbaijan's tourism sector.
"There are tremendous investment opportunities. The government is already undertaking serious efforts in this direction and has succeeded in attracting a number of major international luxury hotel brands to Azerbaijan's tourism sector," she said.
Rolande Pryce noted that one of the main messages of the World Bank's report is to increase the role of tourism in diversifying the economy.
"The diversification of tourism products will attract more investment and create new jobs. This, in turn, will contribute to stronger economic growth and improved public welfare," she stressed.
The World Bank representative also said that Karabakh could become an important tourism destination in the future.
"Karabakh has enormous potential. The government is allocating substantial resources to the reconstruction of the region. Tourism is one of the key sectors capable of transforming the development model of former conflict-affected areas. If the Azerbaijani government aims to turn Karabakh into a tourism destination, there are significant opportunities to achieve this," she noted.
Rolande Pryce said she does not see any major obstacles to private investment in Azerbaijan's tourism sector.
"Investments are already coming in. We are currently in one of the international-standard hotels. I have visited here many times. The level and quality of service are very high. There is simply room to create additional opportunities to encourage even more investment," she said.
According to her, Azerbaijan's tourism potential is not limited to Baku alone.
"Nature tourism, ski tourism, hiking trails, health tourism, and cultural tourism can all be developed. To achieve this, small hotels, family-run guesthouses, restaurants, professional tour guides, and other services should be established. Tourist destinations must be safe, attractive, and equipped with the necessary services," the World Bank country manager stressed.
Rolande Pryce added that different regions of Azerbaijan have distinct tourism advantages and that decisions on priority destinations should be made jointly with the relevant tourism authorities.
"Once infrastructure, services, restaurants, and tour guides are in place, tourists will certainly come," she said.
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