“SUSTAINABLE ECO-TOURISM AND THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM IN AZERBAIJAN” CONFERENCE

“Sustainable Eco-Tourism and the National Park System in Azerbaijan” conference was held on April 16-17 at Grand Hotel Europe within the framework of linkage project between Western University and Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) of the University of Kent with the support of OCSE and British Council.

The conference brought together the main stakeholders who are responsible for and interested in establishing of sustainable ecotourism industry in Azerbaijan i.e. representatives from Ministry of Ecology, Ministry of Youth, Sport and Tourism, academic institutions, local and international companies, NGO-s, humanitarian organizations as well as experts from DICE and Western University.

Among the speakers were: Mr. Piter Burkhard, OSCE Ambassador; Mr. Huseyn Bagirov, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources; Mr. Abulfaz Garayev, Minister of Tourism; Youth and Sport; Ms. Margaret Jack, British Council Director; Professor.Nigel Leader-Williams, Biodiversity Management expert (DICE); Dr. Matt Walpole, Research Associate, Darwin Initiative Fellow, (DICE); and Mr. Mark Elliott, Author of Travel Guidebook for Azerbaijan, independent tourism expert.

Many important issues concerning the establishment of sustainable ecotourism in the national park system including development of tourism infrastructure in Azerbaijan were touched. Participants actively took part in debates and discussions in three working groups:

• Protected area tourism/conservation needs and priorities
• Local community-based tourism/conservation needs and priorities
• Regional/national and sub-national/local infrastructure and other requirements