Azerbaijan announces virtual Fam

Azerbaijan Tourism Board is working on several online measures to engage the trade – its new e-learning module, virtual tours of Baku and of course, the virtual familiarisation tour! Having witnessed a remarkable year-on-year growth in arrivals from India in the first two months of 2020, India will continue being its key source market in the post-COVID phase as well.

Hazel Jain

This is probably an industry first. Taking a step further in the e-engagement sphere, Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) has announced that it is preparing to conduct a virtual familiarisation tour for travel agents soon. Sharing this information was Florian Sengstschmid, CEO, Azerbaijan Tourism Board, via a Zoom interview. He said, “We will conduct our first virtual familiarisation trip for Indian travel agents in May 2020. We will select a few key partners and invite them to be part of this tour. It will be in real time and highlight the attractions of Azerbaijan, just like a regular Fam trip with agents visiting our key attractions, hotels, etc., with the possibility of asking questions and interacting with us the way it is on a Fam.”

ATB is also preparing to launch 20 virtual experiences in Baku on its Salam Baku website soon. Another e-feather in its cap is its new e-learning programme launched on April 29, 2020. Titled ‘Azerbaijan 101’, the e-learning platform consists of six modules. The course will cover products across health and wellness, gastronomy, wine tours, cultural heritage and more. Courses are currently available in English. Upon completion, participants will be certified as an ‘Azerbaijan Travel Expert’.

Sengstschmid added, “While we have been busy developing these tools, we have also been undertaking in-depth training through webinars with Indian tour operators in Tier-I and Tier-II cities regularly. We recently did one with Zenith Holidays, where more than 100 agents participated.”

On-ground training

Meanwhile, in Azerbaijan, ATB together with State Tourism Agency (STA) of the Republic of Azerbaijan and in cooperation with Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AQTA) has launched a programme called SAHMAN (Sanitation and Hygiene Methods and Norms). It is supported by the UNWTO, and PwC will lead the audit and certification process.

The programme will focus on accommodation, F&B and touristic transportation providers. “This has already started. We are training our workforce in hotels, attractions, and other spheres of tourism on the new safety measures. We are doing this in partnership with some international partners to ensure that these services that they are providing are keeping in mind the world-class standards of health and safety,” he revealed. Implementation will be carried out in four phases: enrolling in the programme, participating in it online and onsite trainings and certification, labelling, and validation.

A tweak in strategy

ATB has also re-strategised its approach on how it will roll out its brand. “We have identified different phases of travel that will re-start post COVID-19. Domestic travel will become the first option. Regional markets will be the next to open once border restrictions are lifted. The last phase will be a slow return to normalcy with long-haul travel. But, we still need to figure out what the new normal for travelling within the country will look like. How do we manage swimming pools or sauna? What social distancing would mean in terms of offering new aspects of safety for travellers?” Sengstschmid asked.

Parallelly, other things will come into focus – things like overtourism and environment concerns while travelling. “Our future travel behaviours will change, procedures will change. We will be more critical about how accommodation providers, transport providers, DMCs comply with international health standards. Mass tourism will lead to niche, nature-oriented experience-based travel. Responsible and sustainable tourism will emerge,” he predicted.