“Why do tourists need to visit the territories that are located in a conflict zone, where there are numerous mines and no tourism infrastructure, and in addition, visiting which constitute a violation of law?” Hajiyev asked.
He went on to add that the annual turnover of a normally operating hotel complex is even higher than the figures presented by the Armenian media.
“About $4 million a year is spent only for participation of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in international tourism exhibitions in Armenia`s pavillion," Hajiyev said.
The official reminded that Azerbaijan, which invests in tourism projects within the country, as well as on the international level, can’t develop the rich tourism potential of these areas, as they are occupied by Armenia.
“Today, Azerbaijan is a country both receiving tourists and ‘exporting’ them,” Hajiyev added.
He further said Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region and adjacent districts, following their liberation from Armenian occupation, will become one of the main directions among tourist routes in Azerbaijan as a result of investments.
“Aside from foreign tourists, this route will be an attractive direction, primarily for domestic tourists,” he said.
Hajiyev said the promotion of domestic and foreign tourism could contribute to improving the living conditions of the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities in Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, and the further development of the region.
“Perhaps, the Armenian community representatives of the Armenian-occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region remember how the visits of tourists from Baku, Ganja or Aghdam during the Soviet period contributed to the improvement of their living conditions,” he said.
So today, according to Hajiyev, the talks could`ve been about hundreds of millions of dollars instead of laughable $6.4 million.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
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