Azerbaijan Tourism Board CEO: Baku-Brussels flights on horizon in 2027

Azerbaijan is set to boost connectivity for European travellers, with four weekly direct flights between Brussels and Baku.

Speaking at the Euronews Travel & Tourism Summit 2026, Florian Sengstschmid, Chief Executive Officer of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, said that Azerbaijan Airlines will be operating flights between Brussels and Baku from 8 May 2027.

Sengstschmid added that the Azerbaijani capital has transformed over the past decade to become a regional hub, highlighting that Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport is ranked five stars on Skytrax’s regional rankings. The national carrier was also named the best regional airline in Central Asia by Skytrax this year.

While he said the four-weekly routes will improve connectivity, Sengstschmid hopes visitors will use Baku as a gateway to explore the country further afield.

“It’s really to travel beyond Baku – to travel along the Silk Road, through the side valleys, ancient heritage villages,” he said, while also highlighting the country’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, settlements, cities on the greater Caucasus Mountains and the Khan’s palace.

Another hidden gem he spoke about was Sim in southern Azerbaijan. Sengstschmid described the village as “a fairy-tale with moss”, replete with wooden buildings, waterfalls, and various fauna and flora.

“It feels a bit like you’re in the jungle, but in the middle you’re basically in Azerbaijan,” he said. “And this describes the diversity you can experience once you really go out of the city – dive into the country and meet the wonderful, lovely people.”

He also pointed to the country’s diversity with various climate zones, which offers travellers experiences in semi-desert landscapes to mountain peaks that exceed 4,000 metres high above sea level all in one destination.

In 2025, tourism to the country generated 7 billion Azerbaijani Manat (€3.5 billion), which accounted for 5.4% of the country’s GDP. Azerbaijan has garnered visitors by hosting major events such as Formula 1, and previously Eurovision and COP29.

When asked to sum the country in three words, he replied with “real, warm and uplifting”. For Sengstschmid, Azerbaijan “continues to reveal many new sights and this is what it still does to me, although living there for many, many years and calling it my home”.