Gender and HIV/AIDS in Europe & CIS

First Tourism Information Centre Opens in Azerbaijan with the support of UNDP

Baku, 2 February 2005 - The first Tourism Information Centre (TIC) in Baku was officially opened today by the Minister of Youth, Sport and Tourism of the Azerbaijan Republic, Mr. Abulfaz Garayev, and the UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Marco Borsotti.

The Centre was created in the framework of the joint project of the Government of Azerbaijan and UNDP for the development of tourism in the country Through establishing TICs in Baku and seven other regions, the project will help link entrepreneurs involved in tourism sector with potential clients; provide non-for-profit training courses for youth from low-income families living in rural areas, thereby facilitate their further employment in tourism business.

Opening the event, attended by the representatives of diplomatic corps, relevant government and private entities and media, the Mr. Garayev stressed the importance of the newly opened Centre and the ones expected to be opened in the coming future for the development of tourism in the country. The Minister expressed his deep gratitude to the UNDP and personally to the UNDP Resident Representative for the proactive support to the Government's efforts in boosting tourism industry in Azerbaijan and generating employment which will eventually lead to the reduction of poverty.

Addressing the audience, Mr. Borsotti commended close cooperation of UNDP with the Ministry in the field of poverty reduction. He expressed the hope that the project will generate new job opportunities especially for the Azerbaijani youth. He referred to Azerbaijani people's "great hospitality" and expressed his confidence in the fact that "tourism industry in Azerbaijan will benefit from this hospitality". According to Mr. Borsotti, "this first step in developing domestic tourism", the project will provide for an opportunity for partnership with the interested institutions and private sector to carry out the mission against poverty through developing tourism in Azerbaijan.

The primary responsibility of the Baku Tourism Information Centre and other regional centres would be to provide information to tourists, select convenient tourist routes and identify places of interest; collect information on hotels and restaurants, transportation; render interpretation and information-related services; develop and distribute booklets and route maps, as well as to inform on all other issues related to the tourism area in an integrated way.

During the ceremony, Mr. Garayev also presented star rating certificates to several major hotels in Azerbaijan - namely Grand Europe, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Park, Dolphin, Palma (Nabran), and Monte Negro Inn.

For more information contact:
Ms. Irada Ahmedova,
Development Adviser
Tel: +99412 498 98 88 (ext.117)

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