Israeli tourism to Azerbaijan soars 139% in 2025

The number of Israeli tourists visiting Azerbaijan surged by 139% in 2025 compared with the previous year, according to Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, who spoke to The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

Sengstschmid, who also serves as chief advisor to the Republic of Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency, said Israelis now rank among the top 10 nationalities visiting the capital, Baku. Israeli tourists reportedly spent $59 million in Azerbaijan in 2025 – an 81% increase from 2024.

It is noteworthy that the surge in Israeli tourism in Azerbaijan last year occurred despite disrupted flights to and from Israel amid conflicts with Iran and its regional terror proxies Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. 

The Muslim-majority country of Azerbaijan has developed close ties with Israel and is known for its tolerance towards its Jewish minority. Sengstschmid assessed that the dramatic increase in the number of Israeli tourists is a result of “years of trustful relations and friendship” between the two countries. 

“Israeli travelers also feel that Azerbaijanis have a big passion for Israel and for Israelis, and this does not come overnight: this comes over hundreds of years. This culture has been part of Azerbaijani daily life,” he explained.

Unlike most Muslim-majority countries, there is still a thriving Jewish community in Azerbaijan, with at least two active synagogues. 

“When the world is kind of… upside down, and there are a lot of geopolitical tensions, Azerbaijan feels like a safe haven,” Sengstschmid said, referring to the rise in anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiments across much of the world.

It “feels like [a place] where people of different nationalities, different religions, discuss and talk about topics, but in a social frame, which is what makes everyone feel comfortable,” he added.

Sengstschmid said Azerbaijan offers a rich mix of culture, architecture, and natural landscapes, and expressed hope that Israeli visitors will explore beyond the capital, Baku. With a flight time of about three hours from Israel and prices that remain competitive compared with established destinations such as Italy or France, he said the country presents an attractive alternative for travelers.

“Azerbaijan is not the destination yet, where you have this confidence that you can just arrive and travel,” he admitted while assessing that this perception could change in the future among people who want to discover Azerbaijan “off the beaten track.”

Looking ahead with more connecting flights, Sengstschmid predicts that the number of Israeli tourists will likely increase by 10 to 15% in 2026 from last year.

Last February, Jewish leaders praised Azerbaijan as a model country of tolerance towards Jews and other minorities. 

The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se), an NGO that monitors education systems worldwide, hailed Azerbaijan’s schoolbooks as well.

"The textbooks demonstrate a clear rejection of the extreme Islamist values promoted by their near-neighbor Iran," IMPACT–se CEO Marcus Sheff stated. "Instead, they promote tolerance, diversity, and a heartfelt respect for Jews and Israel, which serves as an important model for many other majority-Muslim states."