Breaking Travel Information job interview: Florian Sengstschmid, chief executive, Azerbaijan Tourism Board

Florian Sengstschmid has more than 25 a long time of experience in the tourism business. He labored for the Austrian Nationwide Vacationer Board, as regional director for Russia and CIS countries, and when in Moscow, also worked as a business attaché at the Austrian embassy. As an unbiased tourism advisor, Sengstschmid supported a huge variety of international locations in tourism advancement. In 2018, he was appointed as a main govt of Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB).

Breaking Vacation Information: What is the existing standing of inbound tourism to Azerbaijan? And what adjustments did you implement in get to continue working through the pandemic?

Florian Sengstschmid: The problem with Covid-19 has prompted the closure of borders and experienced a sizeable adverse affect on the worldwide tourism market.
Azerbaijan is no exception.

Unquestionably, the selection of inbound travellers considerably reduced owing to limitations on international journey.

In these moments, our key aim was to convey together all stakeholders and gamers alongside the tourism source chain to get rid of the hardships introduced by the pandemic and minimise the effects on the industry.

We have been intently functioning with the related stakeholders to make guaranteed that the moment the international journey ban is lifted and borders reopen, we are all set to welcome back again people from all in excess of the globe.

In phrases of restoration, ATB was rapid to put together a four-phase plan, wherever the very first stage was the lockdown and section two signified the launch of the domestic tourism marketing campaign.

Phase a few will stick to the reopening of borders to intercontinental tourists and see promoting strategies resume.

And period four will sign a return to the “new ordinary,” when holidaymakers can investigate the country all over again.

Definitely, the safety and protection of the two site visitors and residents are of utmost precedence for us.

That is why we introduced SAHMAN (Sanitation and Cleanliness Techniques and Norms), an ground breaking well being and protection programme for area business gamers aimed at enhancing benchmarks of cleanliness and sanitation, audited and accredited by PwC.

It focuses on accommodation, foods and beverage, and transportation providers – 3 important features of the tourism worth chain.

Up to now a lot more than 11,000 checking classes have been held and we can certainly say that the motivation, and perseverance of the sector partners are lastly yielding optimistic effects.

We also released the Tourism Schooling & Certification Centre, recognized below ATB, which is a fantastic initiative that highlights how very important education and learning is for the sustainable enhancement of any sphere.

Aimed at improving support high quality and sustaining the enhancement of the tourism sector in Azerbaijan, the centre delivers unique programs by skilled instructors for tourism market associates and utilises innovative training solutions.

Yet another initiative is Azerbaijan 101 – an e-discovering system intended to aid the schooling and growth of vacation brokers and reps throughout the world wide tourism industry.

The assortment of on the web training and engagement equipment has been launched for these trying to get to achieve in-depth understanding about Azerbaijan’s choices.

We have also embraced the big change to connecting digitally to continue to keep Azerbaijan at the front of people’s minds via webinars, digital talks, online conferences and other routines.

BTN: How do you see the upcoming 12 months panning out for inbound tourism to Azerbaijan? With the resumption of international journey luckily again on the horizon, are you anticipating a busy summer time season?

FS: The region is progressively recovering following the lockdown actions, and a optimistic dynamic has allowed the authorities to slowly simplicity the constraints of the quarantine routine.

At present the outlook is good with a small selection of Covid-19 scenarios in Azerbaijan and a vaccination programme underway which will hopefully permit us to restart and revitalise tourism in this article.

With Azerbaijan not staying a mass tourism location, it will be a lot easier and safer for travellers to delight in the country’s sustainable and genuine tourism activities when the time is suitable.

Azerbaijan requires satisfaction in remaining a spot that presents authentic activities and we at the ATB try to boost this exclusive attribute by many projects and initiatives.

More than the coming yrs, definitely, we will aim on even more acquiring new tourism products and solutions and experiences, as nicely as perfecting the infrastructure to cater to all the requirements of our website visitors and fulfill each individual kind of traveller.

The moment worldwide vacation limitations are lifted, people today will be eager to journey, and Azerbaijan will however be right here offering unforgettable encounters and prospects to choose an additional look on this wonderful place.

With the vaccines now remaining rolled out, we will resume our digital internet marketing and communications in the planet the moment the worldwide journey constraints are eased.

We will also go to some trade exhibits in person in the initial 50 percent of this yr and open agent offices in new markets.

Our prepare is to continue to use webinars and other electronic instruments until eventually encounter-to-facial area communication and destination promotion at trade shows, vacation exhibitions and roadshow campaigns become feasible all over again.

Large-scale intercontinental situations, these kinds of as Components 1 and UEFA Euro online games, will also give us a excellent probability to market Azerbaijan as a place throughout the world. In the article-pandemic era, the approach is to current market the destination more robust than at any time prior to.

BTN: Describe how the lockdown encounter was in Azerbaijan, and in Baku in particular, and how this in comparison to the bustle of normal instances.

FS: The federal government of Azerbaijan was pretty brief to reply to the disaster as it proven an operational headquarters below the cabinet of ministers to closely watch the spread of Covid-19 and administer a exclusive quarantine regime for all citizens of Azerbaijan at the start of the pandemic.

This provided a detailed range of constraints on motion, doing work, investing, and functioning which have been tightened or loosened in the course of the pandemic, dependent on the recent virus circumstance.

The international borders were being closed, and travel limitations had been imposed with only numerous classes of website visitors authorized to enter the nation.

Definitely, the scenario in the state was and still is wholly various from the pre-pandemic moments when the streets were bustling with individuals with out masks, social distancing was not on everyone’s thoughts and face-to-face meetings ended up the most common and hassle-free way of conversation.

For the duration of the pandemic, the important priority for us is to make sure the safety and safety of site visitors and people.

In conditions of prospects, the pandemic has allowed us to sluggish down and re-examine and refocus our strategy, enabling us to build a new roadmap to condition our actions going ahead.

We have also learnt to embrace new electronic technologies to keep in touch with our global associates and retain the world knowledgeable and interested in Azerbaijan.

BTN: Why is collaboration across the world wide journey marketplace vital to navigating the write-up-pandemic landscape?

FS: In these difficult times for the world tourism business, it is much more than at any time important to reconnect and maintain in contact with associates and field stakeholders.

We as ATB are intently operating with the appropriate stakeholders in the sphere to make guaranteed that as soon as the international journey ban is lifted and borders reopen, we are ready to welcome back website visitors from all above the world.

It is also essential to foster information and working experience exchange, talk with sector gamers all across the worth chain and share our eyesight and tips on what the foreseeable future holds for tourism, be it for the destinations, hospitality sector players or infrastructure builders.

This allows to share our experiences and learn from our counterparts, guaranteeing that the field gets stronger and recuperates from the crisis pretty before long.

BTN: What tendencies in journey and tourism do you see emerging in the aftermath of the crisis?

FS: Certainly, with the vaccination approach underway globally, soon the borders will re-open up, and the website visitors will return, considering that we are unable to dwell without travelling and checking out.

Vacation in the “new normal” may possibly hardly ever be the identical once more, but various does not imply worse and we can count on it to be more healthy, significantly less crowded, a lot more sustainable.

Travellers will unquestionably prioritize accountable, eco-pleasant, socially-aware tourism.

They will rely on places with fantastic governance and wellbeing programs, and many well being protocols adopted through the pandemic will keep on being, such as social distancing and travelling to a lot less crowded locations.

What’s more, people today are now trying to find out authentic travel with experiential and transformative experiences that assure real cultural immersion.

Azerbaijan has lots of inimitable possibilities for holidaymakers on the lookout for dependable travel encounters.

As a tourism desired destination, we are endeavouring to make sure that the local sector adapts to the new requires of travellers and provides the best travel ordeals in the “new normal” next the pandemic.

BTN: Have you experienced any good modifications in your possess outlook in reaction to the disaster?

FS: The distribute of Covid-19 has pressured us to dwell in unparalleled times and the tourism marketplace globally has endured immensely from border closures and bans on journey.

Definitely, a person of the most significant troubles has been not remaining capable to satisfy in person and consequently getting to adapt to performing online and endorsing the vacation spot by webinars, on the web trade exhibits and other electronic implies.

Even so, a crisis does not only carry difficulties, but also new alternatives and alternatives for development.

The pandemic permitted us to re-strategize, make the most of novel opportunities and implies of marketing and conversation, reinforce the cooperative ties with our associates from all above the globe.

We had been capable to aim on reinforcing the present belongings of the desired destination, advertising information and ability setting up, contributing to neighborhood progress as a result of several initiatives.

Without doubt, the plan of “slowing down” is alien to those people of us in the vacation marketplace.

We have often strived to arrive at larger, transfer faster, see and working experience much more.

Even though the planet gradually recovers from the pandemic, I am guaranteed of a affluent tomorrow, when we will emerge stronger than at any time.

Extra Details

Discover out extra about the Azerbaijan Tourism Board on the official web page.