Baku literally baffled the thirty participants of the Challenge Tourisme Convention that took place this year in Azerbaijan's capital. We'll recognize that it had every reason to: this modern, dynamic city full of prestigious hotel chains and international brands at every street corner amazes its visitors. Baku is moving the earth and is ready to tackle, at full speed, the world of international tourism. It will just need clients to fill its hotel. A promise made: the professionals of Challenge Tourism are going to devote themselves to the task !
During a meeting organized on Saturday at the Tourism Ministry in Baku, Dr. Garayev Aboulfas Mursal oglu, Azerbaijan's Tourism Minister, rolled out the red carpet for the delegation led by Lucien Salémi, President of Challenge Tourisme.
The delegation also received the recognition of France's Ambassador, Pascal Meunier, in office in Baku, along with that of Tourism's Vice-Minister, Dr Nazim Samadov, and finally, an encounter with Arif Mammadov, the Vice-Minister of Azerbaidjan Airlines.
Public authorities are making tourism one of the political and economic priorities for the country.
In the next 5 years, the President, Ilham Aliyev, wants to establishes the bases of a dual development that won't exclusively depend on oil deposits.
The organization of events, with the European Games that (successfully) took place in 2014, the Eurovision competition, and an F1 race currently underway, should all contribute to position the country in a new realm of legitimacy for hosting large-scale cultural and sporting events.
There's no denying that all of these elected officials and leaders, whose message is also communicated by DMCs on location, are driven by one mantra: welcoming the French clientele.
And for this, there's no doubt: they'll do whatever it takes. Furthermore, Lucien Salémi is ready, just like his members, to seize the opportunity. He tells us about the necessary conditions and steps to do so in the video above.
Subsequently, we will review with Rémi Thouverez the substantive thematics of the Open Innovation that were discussed during the convention led by Martin Duval, the "pope" of this participatory concept.
A concept that the President of Challenge Tourisme hopes to apply in the partnership that could be established between Azerbaijan authorities and French professionals.