At present, 508 hotels and hotel-type facilities operate in Azerbaijan. The total number of beds over the republic is 31,979 in 2011, Minister of Culture and Tourism Ebulfaz Garayev said at the opening of summer season. He noted that according to the rules of certification of tourist-excursion services, within last year the number of hotels and hotel-type facilities, classified by the state, was 83: ‘At present, 335 tourism companies operate in the republic on the basis of license for activity of hotels and hotel-type facilities, 194 – on the basis of license for tourism activity. Statistic calculations in Azerbaijan’s tourism sector are realized in accordance with the world practice under new criterions. According to statistic information of 2011, the number of persons, engaged in tourism sphere in Azerbaijan makes 7,739. I should add that within 2011, the number of foreign citizens visiting Azerbaijan made 2,239,141, up 14.0% or 276,235 compared to last year’. 

The minister added that the number of foreign tourists made 1,836,226 last year. At the same time Azerbaijan got AZN 966.3 mln or $1.223 mln from foreign tourism, up 59.5% compared to previous year. 

Garayev also stressed that in connection with the opening of summer season, a special commission has been established for inspection of preparation of hotels and hotel-type facilities, investigation of services’ prices in the current year and study of placement facilities with license for activity of hotels and hotel-type facilities.

The commission will hold monitoring on the western region (Gadabay, Ganja, Naftalan and Mingechevir) on June 11-15, in northern-west region (Shamakhi, Ismayilli, Gabala, Shaki, Gakh, Zagatala and Balaken) on June 18-25 and on northern region (Khachmaz, Gusar and Guba) on June 27-30.

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