Ilaha Amirbeyova-Mustafayeva Speaks at the 5th General Assembly of Azerbaijan Hotel Association

On December 7, 2022, the Azerbaijan Hotel Association (AHA) held its 5th General Assembly, bringing together industry leaders, partners, and members to review the past year’s achievements and discuss the latest trends shaping the hospitality sector.

The event opened with remarks from Mr. Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, and Mr. Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board. Gunay Saglam, CEO of AHA, presented an overview of the Association’s annual activities, updates on the National Star Classification process, and plans for 2023.

Keynote speeches from industry experts added great value to the event. Ilaha Amirbayova-Mustafayeva, Consulting Stream Leader at GALANTE PARTNERS CONSULTING (formerly at PwC Azerbaijan), delivered insights on global and local tourism and economic trends, as well as the ESG perspective on tourism.

"The needs and priorities of customers have changed significantly due to COVID-19. To remain competitive, hotel companies must stay ahead of the latest trends and continuously evolve," said Ilaha Amirbayova-Mustafayeva.

Other notable speakers included:

• Anar Zamanov, Deputy Director for International Business Development at Travelline, who discussed the importance of direct booking in hotels.

• Radka Telyčková, TrustYou’s EMEA reseller, who shared statistics on overall guest reviews in Azerbaijan.

• Sakina Asgarova, Head of Gastronomy Tourism Management at the Azerbaijan

  Tourism Board, who spoke on the prospects of gastronomy tourism in the country.

The event concluded with an award ceremony, recognizing the Best Hospitality Talent of the Year and the Best Guest-Performance Hotel of the Year.

GALANTE PARTNERS CONSULTING is proud to be part of such strategic industry discussions, supporting sustainable growth and innovation in the hospitality sector.