Report: Foreign tourist overnight stays in Azerbaijan could increase by 116 percent by 2036

A report titled "The changing face of Europe's tourism map by 2036," commissioned by the Accor hotel group and based on forecasts by Tourism Economics, has included Azerbaijan among the high-potential countries in terms of the growth rate of overnight stays by foreign tourists. The Romanian publications Afaceri.news and Mediafax covered the report's findings.

According to the forecast, in 2026–2036 this indicator will increase by 116 percent in Azerbaijan. For comparison, over the same period growth of 83 percent is expected in Latvia, 82 percent in Romania, 80 percent in Hungary, 75 percent in Cyprus, 72 percent in Lithuania, and 68 percent in Croatia.

The report also presents the overall European picture: demand for tourist accommodation on the continent is expected to grow by 32 percent, as a result of which an additional 1.6 billion overnight stays will be added annually. International tourist overnight stays will increase by 42 percent, and domestic tourism by 24 percent. A 93 percent increase is forecast in the number of tourists coming from the Middle East, and 88 percent from the Asian region.

In 2025, Europe received 810 million international tourists — 53 percent of the global flow. Tourism revenues have exceeded 700 billion euros. Total spending by foreign tourists is expected to rise from 825 billion euros in 2026 to more than 1.3 trillion euros in 2036. Experts attribute the growth to improved transport links, investment in tourism infrastructure, and growing interest in new destinations.

Azerbaijan's appearance on this list with a high growth rate is a direct signal for hotels and guesthouses in Baku and the regions: properties that invest now in bed capacity, service quality, and staff training will capture a larger share of the growing flow.