Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

Novruz Holiday bringing the cherished first day of spring full of joy and happiness to the Land of Fire will be marked solemnly in the country by following all customs and traditions.

A number of tourists will join the festivities that will last nine days. This year sees significantly increased number of tourists coming to Azerbaijan, said Muzaffar Agakarimov, the adviser of the Chairman of Azerbaijani Tourism Association.

He connects this trend with the holiday becoming more interesting, colorful and entertaining in the country.

Iranian tourists are leading among those who come to Azerbaijan in connection with Novruz. They are followed by tourists from Russia, Kazakhstan and Arab countries.

The number of Iranian citizens, who visited Azerbaijan during Novruz holiday in 2016 increased by 35-40 percent, compared to 2015.

“All the hotels in Azerbaijan, especially in Baku, have been pre-booked,” the expert stressed, adding that tourists are interested to tour to the country’s regions as well.

Agakarimov noted that the country’s hotels and entertainment centers should create the majestic Novruz atmosphere.

“Tourism companies should update their programs, offer additional and better services," Agakarimov explained.

Novruz differs from other holidays for its historical roots, essence and culture. Over the millennia, the Novruz holiday, with its ceremonies, customs and traditions, acts of kindness, oral folk tales, games and entertainments, has inspired poets, singers and performers, scientists and thinkers.

Months, years and centuries replace each other, family roots spread over, new generations appear, nations change, but Azerbaijani people, in spite of all bans, obstacles and fears throughout the history have treasured the Novruz holiday, keeping it alive as a sacred festival and cherishing its traditions.

That’s why foreigners are interested to participate in festivals associated with Novruz to see the tradition, which each year is celebrated by more than 300 million people in Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Xinjiang Uyghur region, the Balkans and the Middle East.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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