BAKU, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijan's tourism sector accounted for a record 5.3 percent of the country's GDP in 2025, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan Fuad Naghiyev said Friday.
Naghiyev said tourism has become a key driver of non-oil economic growth, supported by visa liberalization, expanded flight routes and international promotion campaigns, according to local media.
He noted that between 2021 and 2025, GDP generated in the tourist accommodation and public catering sector grew by an average of 24.5 percent annually, reaching 3.6 billion manats (around 2.12 billion U.S. dollars).
Preliminary data show total value added in the tourism sector amounted to 6.9 billion manats in 2025, marking the highest share of tourism in the national economy on record.
