Tourism industry booming
HSpeaking about the possibility of opening direct flights between Azerbaijan and Spain, he said that this is something that depends on the strategy of the air carriers.
"If you just look at the reduced number of Azerbaijani tourist visiting Spain today, and vice versa, the prospects are not very promising. But if you devise the strategy to use Madrid Airport, for instance, as a hub to bring tourist from America into Azerbaijan, then the prospects may improve abruptly. If you look it the other way, you obtain the same conclusion. You may come out with a strategy to use Baku Airport as a hub to bring tourist from the Caspian region into Spain, a country which received 82 million visitors last year," he added.
Taboada went on to add that tourism is a field with enormous potential for cooperation and more intensive private relations.
"Spain received 82 million visitors in 2017. The second most visited country in the world and one of the best industries with assets around the globe. Yet the number of Azerbaijani visitor to Spain is marginal, probably less than 50,000. The Azerbaijani industry is also booming, but it is still a much unknown destination for the Spanish consumer," noted the Spanish diplomat.
He pointed out that companies in both countries have a lot win if they cooperate.
"Spain has a long tradition in vocational training in the hospitality industry and gastronomy which could be used by Azerbaijani growing industry," he added.
Taboada believes that culture is another field in which public and private institutions could make greater efforts.
"During this year we have put in contact some Azerbaijani cultural institutions and major Spanish editorial groups. The idea is to translate masterpieces of Azerbaijani literature into Spanish Language, the mother tongue of more than 450 million individuals," he added.
Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport is one of the six international airports serving Azerbaijan. The airport is located 20 kilometers northeast of Baku, connected to the city by a modern highway, which was put into operation in 2008. It is the busiest airport in Azerbaijan and of the Caucasus. The airport serves as the home base for flag carrier Azerbaijan Airlines and its subsidiary Buta Airways, as well as freight carrier Silk Way Airlines.
Two passenger terminals (International Terminal 1 and Domestic Terminal 2) and two cargo terminals operate at Heydar Aliyev International Airport. The old terminal built in Soviet times, was entirely demolished and replaced by the new Terminal 1. The four-level engineering concept was developed in July 2010 by Arup company, with a tricorn shape and semi transparent roof. The total area is 65,000 square meters. The interior, designed by Turkish company AUTOBAN, has a series of oak-veneer 'cocoons'.
Heydar Aliyev International Airport, located in Baku, Azerbaijan, is among 14 most beautiful airports in the world, according to the rating made by Curbed, an American realestate blog network.
The Heydar Aliyev International Airport of the Azerbaijani capital has been listed among the top three unusual airports in the world, according to a Hi-Tech.
The publication notes that the main airport of Azerbaijan, which is one of the largest in the CIS, due to its unusual shape, is often compared to a bird with its wings spread.
In May 2018 Heydar Aliyev International Airport was awarded the category of "5 stars" by the Skytrax, which is influential British consulting company specializing in the study of the quality of services provided by various airlines and airports worldwide.
Also, Baku Heydar Aliyev Airport was named the best airport among airports of Russia and CIS countries for the level of the provided services, being awarded the prestigious Skytrax World Airport Awards for the second year in a row.