Azerbaijan, the host nation for COP29, has unveiled its interactive accommodation platform, a system designed to facilitate hotel and lodging reservations for participants and attendees of the forthcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference, which will be held in November in Baku.
At a press conference held at the COP29 Office, Azada Huseynova, Deputy Chair of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, explained that the accommodation system has been meticulously crafted to ensure a diverse array of room types and locations are available to those wishing to attend the event.
We will be ready to welcome the world to Baku. We have studied the experiences of previous COP host countries and how they approached their accommodation programs and have integrated some elements of those practices into our plans as COP host country,” Ms. Huseynova said. “We have put in place the infrastructure that will ensure that participants from around the world can make their accommodation booking in a smooth and speedy way.
Azada Huseynova, Deputy Chair of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan
The State Tourism Agency has collaborated with hotels, online accommodation marketplaces, and various residential and lodging establishments within the city and surrounding regions to guarantee that the event can comfortably and pleasantly accommodate the anticipated number of attendees.
Lodging options available through the accommodation platform represent the initial phase of a comprehensive rollout. Subsequent phases will introduce additional rooms at additional hotels and lodging facilities.
The hotels featured on the platform have been carefully selected based on criteria such as quality, location, and the availability of transportation services arranged specifically for the event. The Agency meticulously audited over 300 accommodation establishments, with approximately 200 receiving a star rating classification. Notably, about 40 hotels that did not earn a star classification were granted a grace period to enhance their facilities and performance before undergoing a re-audit.
Huseynova also provided details on the State Tourism Agency’s customer service training program in preparation for COP29. Approximately 2,000 employees from around 300 establishments in the cities of Baku and Sumgayit, as well as the wider Absheron region, are participating in this initiative.
Additionally, the Agency plans to provide training and certification to 200 tourist guides and training to 1,000 tourism volunteers, who will be assigned to hotels to assist guests during the COP29 event.
