Azerbaijan sees remarkable rise in one‑day transit visits

In January–May of 2026, Azerbaijan welcomed 564,237 visitors for tourism purposes, of whom 16,800 stayed only one day, Report informs, citing the country's State Statistical Committee.

According to the latest data, this represents a 29.7% increase compared with the same period last year.

Of these short‑term visitors, 14,381 – or 85.6% – traveled through Azerbaijan for transit purposes.

Breakdown of one‑day visits shows diverse motivations: 824 people came for business (+73.8%), 808 visited relatives and friends (+55%), 664 arrived for leisure and entertainment (‑2.3%), 68 for shopping (+33%), 55 for religious pilgrimage (double the previous figure).

The largest groups of one‑day visitors were from Russia (5,040, +39.1%), Türkiye (3,398, +65.4%), Georgia (745, +25%), and Iran (115, ‑47.9%). Transit travelers included 4,159 Russians (+38.8%) and 2,459 Turkish citizens (+62.8%).

Spending by one‑day visitors totaled 7.06 million manats (approximately $4.15 million), up 25.7% year‑on‑year. Transport services accounted for 80.3% of expenditures (5.67 million manats or $3.33 million), reflecting a 25.2% increase.

Overall, 658,100 foreigners and stateless persons from 175 countries visited Azerbaijan in the reporting period, marking a decline of 11% year-on-year.