Preparations for the 2026-2027 winter tourism season are on the agenda in Azerbaijan. The amount of snow, the technical capabilities of mountain-ski resorts, tourist flow, and the level of service in the regions are among the key issues for the upcoming season.
The head of the Department of Tourist Education and Support of the Association of Tourism Agencies of Azerbaijan, tourism expert Rahman Guliyev, spoke about the development prospects of winter tourism in Azerbaijan in an interview with Modern.az.
According to the expert, the development of winter tourism is no longer measured solely by the amount of natural snow and skiing opportunities. Tourist expectations have changed, so it is important to expand the range of services in mountain-ski resorts and reduce dependence on weather conditions.
R. Guliyev stated that artificial snow systems play an important role in this regard. In periods when there is not enough snow, these systems allow the season to continue. At the same time, the development of comfortable accommodation, catering, entertainment, and other services in winter tourism centers is important for increasing tourist satisfaction.
According to him, tourists’ interest is not limited to skiing. Modern tourists want to use a wider range of services during their trip and benefit from various activities in the region. For this reason, the development of winter tourism requires not only mountain-ski infrastructure but also the expansion of tourism opportunities as a whole.
The expert stated that tourist flow is expected to increase, especially in major winter tourism centers such as Shahdag and Tufandag. In his opinion, this will create additional demand in hotels, transportation, catering, and other service sectors. Therefore, during preparations for the season, infrastructure should be adapted to the increasing number of tourists, and special attention should be paid to safety issues. Azerbaijan’s winter tourism potential is not limited to the winter months. The year-round use of mountainous areas for tourism allows for increased economic activity in the regions and the development of local entrepreneurship.
According to the expert, for sustainable development, attention should be paid to domestic tourism as well as foreign tourists.
The affordability of prices, the preparation of service packages suitable for different tourist groups, and the extension of the duration of stay in the regions are among the main directions in this regard. Along with increasing the number of tourists, conditions should be created for them to stay longer in the regions. For this, it is important to form coordinated tourism offers among hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, and transportation services.
Thus, the main goals for the upcoming winter tourism season will be to minimize dependence on weather conditions, improve service quality, ensure tourist safety, and make more effective year-round use of the tourism potential of the regions.