Azerbaijan is eyeing China as a key tourism market, following President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit earlier this year and a new visa‑exemption agreement. A high‑level meeting on October 29 underscored the next phase in tourism cooperation between Azerbaijan and China.

Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, met with Chinese Ambassador Lu Mei, affirming that China is now a priority tourist market for Azerbaijan following state visits and bilateral agreements earlier this year.

During his remarks, Naghiyev highlighted the April state visit of Ilham Aliyev to China, which opened new vistas in bilateral relations and set the stage for tourism expansion. In particular, he cited the mutual visa‑exemption agreement between the two countries as one of the most important steps toward fostering tourism flows. The agreement was formalised via a “Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” signed in Beijing, on April 23. 

Ambassador Lu Mei affirmed that Azerbaijan’s rich natural, historical and cultural tourism assets are drawing growing interest from Chinese travellers. Meanwhile, statistics back up a rapid uptick in Chinese tourist arrivals: the number of Chinese visitors to Azerbaijan reportedly reached 44,798 in 2024, up from earlier years. 

Furthermore, data for 2025 show continued strong momentum: in January–April 2025, arrivals from China climbed by around 70% year‑on‑year. 

The visa‑exemption regime is already in effect: a one‑year unilateral visa‑free policy allowed Chinese tourists to visit Azerbaijan without visa from July 20, 2024 to July 20, 2025. Under it, citizens of China could enter up to three times and stay up to 30 days per visit.

In parallel, Azerbaijan’s tourism sector as a whole is on an upswing: the country received 2.627 million foreign and stateless visitors in 2024 — a 25.9% increase over the previous year.

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