Tourism in Azerbaijan
The World Travel and Tourism Council reported that Azerbaijan is among the top ten countries with the greatest increase in visitor exports from 2010 to 2016.
[7][8] A visa is not required for citizens of the Commonwealth of Independent States (except Turkmenistan and Armenia) who intend to visit Azerbaijan within 90 days.
The Ministry of Tourism made a development study from 2008 to 2016[17] to increase accommodations and attract foreigners.
[20] In addition to the capital, Baku, Azerbaijan has a number of resort areas with varied climates and a variety of flora and fauna.
In December 2000, the Old City (including the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower) was named Azerbaijan's first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
[25] The Walled City of Baku (Icheri Sheher) hosts over 50 historic and architectural monuments, including Synyg Gala (the Broken Tower).
West of the Caspian Sea, it was built by Hindu, Sikh and Parsi traders from the Indian subcontinent during the 17th and 18th centuries.
[28] Scholars have speculated that the temple may have been an ancient Zoroastrian shrine, which was destroyed by invading Islamic armies during the Muslim conquest of Persia and its neighbouring regions.
The park was founded in 1966 when the region was declared a national historical landmark to preserve its ancient carvings and mud volcanoes.
[30] The rock engravings depict primitive men, animals, weapons, ritual dances, bullfights, boats with armed oarsmen, warriors with lances, camel caravans, and the sun and stars.
The quadrangular tower was built in the 12th century by Akhsitan, the son of Shirvanshah Mechehrin, to commemorate a military victory.
The exterior is decorated with dark blue, turquoise and ochre tiles in geometric patterns; the murals, coloured with tempera, are inspired by the poetry of Nizami Ganjavi.
The white Heydar Aliyev Center, designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Zaha Hadid, is a symbol of modern Baku.
[33] Mountain tourism is popular in Azerbaijan, and two large resorts (Tufandag and Shahdag) have been built in the Gusar and Gabala regions.
There are a number of caves around the village, which has a small museum with local artifacts such as tools, toys, clothes and manuscripts.
[35] The village of Lahij,[36] in the southern Greater Caucasus range of northern Azerbaijan about 1,505 metres (4,938 ft) above sea level, is a center of ancient art.
Winter activities include snowmobiling, horseback riding, sledding and tubing, and the resort has a snow park for children.
[40] Tufandag, about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Gabala, has a cable car, skiing, an entertainment center for children and a hotel.
The semi-arid Shirvan National Park has a lake covering about 40 square kilometres (15 sq mi).
[43] Hirkan National Park, on the Lankaran Lowland and in the Talysh Mountains, is 99% forested and strictly protected.
The park is home to the rare East Caucasian tur (Capra cylindricornis), a mountain-dwelling caprine found only in the eastern half of the Caucasus Mountains.
Other species include roe deer, bear, wild boar, lynx, fox, rabbit, squirrel, and wolf.
Fauna is similar to that in Shirvan National Park: gazelle, jackal, fox, rabbit, badger, in Caspian waters seal and various fishes, birds such as silver gull, wheezing swan, grey and red-headed black- and white-eyed black ducks, white bittern, sandpiper, marsh belibagli, sea bozcha, and other migrant birds.
Azerbaijan permits the hunting of Dagestan goat, wild boar, rabbit, forest dove, quail, partridge, water birds (goose, duck, coot), woodcock, and chamois.
