In recent years, tourism has become one of the leading spheres of the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan’s economy, the country’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Nazim Samadov said Dec. 18 in Baku at an event dedicated to the International Migrants Day.

He noted that the Azerbaijani president’s support, attention and care for the tourism sphere yielded results.

Samadov noted that for 11 months of this year, the number of tourists amounted to more than 2,477 people, which is 20 percent more than during the same period last year.

He also added that foreign tourists who arrived in Azerbaijan spent $1.3 billion in the country, and tourists who left Azerbaijan spent $1.2 billion abroad. The surplus amounted to $100 million, and this may be regarded as a positive fact, he said.

Source: azernews.az