TEHRAN – Iran was named the second most popular destination for Azerbaijani tourists in 2019, according to data collected from travel agencies.

Georgia, Iran, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine were the top five travel destinations for Azeri citizens in 2019, Azernews reported.

Azerbaijani citizens spent most money in Russia ($343.6 million), followed by Iran ($308.4 million), Georgia ($286.5 million), Turkey ($278.3 million) and the UAE ($38.1 million), according to the report.

The Islamic Republic abolished visa requirements for Azerbaijani nationals some three years ago, while Iranians still have to obtain visas to visit the country.

About eight million foreign nationals have visited Iran since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2019), according to Iran’s ministry of tourism.

AFM/MG