We Are Explorer

Millions people all over the world spend their holidays travelling. They travel to see other countries and continents, modern cities and the ruins of ancient towns, they travel to enjoy picturesque places or just for a change of scene. It's always interesting to discover new things and different ways of life, to meet different people, to try different food, to listen to different music.

So we begin to research how do we have to develop summer tourizm in our country and how can we attract people to spent summer holidays in Azerbaijan.Beside it,the thought of designing a landmark can be very exciting for most of us.

Our mission: first step

We searched and found that                       We interested what countries are the most                                                                                visited countries in the world  

 




                                                               

We searched why are these

countries the   most visited:

Besides the climate  and  the picturesque  view of these countries there  are also  many monuments , many buildings that was saved  from  the past. There are also many hotels that  all circumstances are excellent. Services are in a great level  , people are very friendly  and hospitable; There  are also many great shopping  centers in  these countries .  The  state and  investors  support the  tourism  sector.  They  provide  this  sector  with  financial  support. Even  the political  situation   plays the main  role  in  developing  of  tourism  in these  countries .

second step 
Is it true that when we travel we discover something?

If we are fond of travelling, we see and learn a lot of things that we can never see or learn at home, though we may read about them in books and newspapers and see pictures of them on TV. The best way to study geography is to travel and the best way to get to know and understand the people is to meet them in their own homes.

For an example : We searched: What Travel Tips must we know while travelling to discover Incredible  India.

India is among the most colourful nations of the world and boasts of a rich history, culture and heritage. To get the most of your trip and tour to discover incredible India, it would be a good idea to equip yourself with useful information before you set out for a journey of a lifetime.
To explore India, you need a valid passport and visa to India. Carry them at all times while enjoying a vacation in India.One needs additional permits to go to certain destinations in India such as Andaman Islands, Gujarat, Ladakh, Kerala, and more. 

Most cities have means of efficient local transportation such as taxis, auto rickshaws, cycle rickshaws, and buses. Private cabs can also be hired.  It is important to carry an International Driving License if you wish to drive on your own.For inter-city and inter-state transport you can avail services of Indian Railways and domestic airlines. Buses, taxis and cabs also ferry people across cities and states.

It is best to visit Indian plains during cooler months from November to March.
For a visit to mountainous regions of India, the months of April to October are better suited.
Indian cuisine is a tad too spicy for European and American taste buds. Indulge in the gastronomical delights only if you have the stomach for it. Also, there are plenty of non-spicy cuisines and delicacies to choose from.
You may occasionally need insect repellent cream. If you are allergic to dust, be sure to carry medication with you. Sunscreen is another must-have.
Bargaining is the norm in local bazaars selling products without a written price. Resist the urge to buy without comparing prices from shops selling similar stuff.
Be wary of roadside peddlers trying to sell you semi-precious and precious gems and jewelry. Visit state emporia and the Central Cottage Industries Emporia (most major cities have one) for fixed prices and a fair idea of the cost with a regular dealer.
One is expected to cover the head before entering a religious place such as a temple or mosque.
Ask for permission before clicking pictures of women and religious complexes. Some places charge for taking pictures while it is prohibited at a few places as well.

Do Drink lot of water when traveling in India during summer, Mineral water bottle are easily available everywhere.
Do carry attested photocopies of your travel documents and keep the originals in a safely locked baggage.
Do not smoke in public places.

Do not give money to beggars.
Do wear light cotton cloths, advisable for summer travel in India
Do carry UV sunglasses, Caps or an Umbrella during your summer visit.


                            

Third Step

What is the importance of the means of transport?
What transport do people prefer using ?  Why?

People began to travel ages ago. The very first travellers were explorers who went on trips to find wealth, fame or something else. Their journeys were very dangerous but still people keep on going to the unknown lands.
Nowadays it is not as dangerous and much more convenient. Do you want to go somewhere? Hundreds of companies are there to help you. They will take care about your tickets and make all the reservations needed. You don't speak the language of the country you go to? There are interpreters that will help you. With modern services you can go around the world. You can choose the means of transport you like: plane, train, ship, bicycle or you can travel hiking.

                                

People who live in big cities use various means of communication to get from one place to another. For example:

Do you know what means of communication Londoners use? Londoners use the underground railway. They call it 'the tube'. London's underground is the oldest in the world. It was opened in 1863.

Londoners use buses. The first bus route was opened in London in 1904. Today there are hundreds of routes there. The interesting thing is that some of the routes are the same as many years ago. London's buses are double-decked buses.

Londoners do not use trams, though London was the first city where trams appeared. And now it is one of the biggest cities in the world where there are no trams. The last tram left the streets of London many years ago.

Londoners use cars. You can see a lot of cars in London streets.

When Londoners leave the town, they use trains, ships or airplanes.

 The Channel Tunel    Cross Channel Tunel is oneof the world's  largest megas projects. it was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II and French President Francois Mitterrand on 6 May 1994. it is  the second longest rail tunnel and the longest undersea tunnel in the world. It is approximately 23.55miles.It was operated by Eurotunnel and Eurostar.The Tunnel is nowclassified as one of the seven wonders of the modern world.

Fourth Step

Where must be the tourism landmarks situated ?

What kind of places are  "Tourist Attraction" places?

We searched and found that : A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure, adventure and amusement.

Natural beauty such as beaches, tropical  island resorts with coral reefs, hiking and camping in national parks, mountains and forests, are examples of traditional tourist attractions to spend summer vacations. Other examples of cultural tourist attractions include historical places, monuments, ancient temples, zoos, aquaria, museums and art galleries, botanical gardens, buildings and structures (e.g., castles, libraries, former prisons, skyscrapers, bridges), theme parks and carnivals, living history museums, ethnic enclave communities, historic trains and cultural events. Factory tours, industrial heritage, creative art and crafts workshops are the object of cultural niches like industrial tourism and creative tourism. Many tourist attractions are also landmarks.

Top10 London Attraction

Fifth step

What things would you like to do in summer?

Where would you like /be this summer holiday?

We made a questionnaire among the classmates with these questions:

Plans for my Summer

By Kurbanzade Mehdi

Class 7e

I just can’t wait until summer. With all of those plans to do, it’s really going to be fun!

This summer I’m going to  London !  When school gets out we were going there. Along the way we might make some stops. First we will leave Moscow and go to Turkey and stay there a day. One of the Sundays in London will be the most fun because we’re going to a live football game. It’s the Manchester United and Chelsi football game. After that, I might go swimming with my Dad’s friend’s son  who is the same age as me and likes football like I do.

My Summer Plans

By  Nurlu Zahra

Class 7e

What summer means to me….. Well, it’s hard to say. It’s hard to think about it when there’s so much to say. Summer means, no school, no homework, and no schedule! You can sleep in, go to the beach and pool, and just have plain fun! All you really do in summer is play with your friends in the hot sun!!!!!

The plans for our family are to drive up to Nabran. Then we’ll drive down to Shaki and my mom will show us all the fun things to do, because my mom went to school there. Then we may drive to Goybulaq village, and see my grandma.

What I normally like to do in Nabran is to go to the beach. The beach here is bigger, has bigger waves, and is less crowded. My brother and I sometimes invite friends to the beach and always have fun!!!!! We’ve never had a bad time (unless you count weather)!!!! In the summer I have memories that go all the way back to before I went to preschool. I love summer so much I miss summer when school comes around.

My Summer Vacation

By Nabiyev Cavid

Class 7e

Summer is a time to relax and have fun.

During my summer vacation I plan to do a lot of different things.  I think I will start out with going to the pool. Because it will start to get very hot, and I would need a place to cool off.

The second thing I would like to do would be going to a water park called Novkhani Aqua Park I could swim, play, and slide all I want.

The third thing I want to do is go to Novkhani Beach with my family. It will be the most fun part of my summer. The next thing I plan to do is go diving. I would like to see a sea turtle while I’m diving.

I would want to go to bed at 9:30 every night and have a spend the night every week.

I plan to play a lot of football.

I think my summer will be really fun. I’ll see you at the pool.

sixth step

Is  summer tourism enough developed in Azerbaijan?

What  should we do to develop tourism Azerbaijan?

Travel Azerbaijan

The rich historical, cultural and natural heritage of the country attracts visitors from all over the world. Untouched nature, mineral springs, the world's only oil field treatment -naphthalene, a unique ancient architecture, unique culture, cuisine, and more contribute to the formation in Azerbaijan of all types of tourism: business, sport, medical, cognitive, hunting, exotic, beach and even  gastronomic.

The main purpose of  trip:

Use these resources to plan your Azerbaijan  trip.

We made some notes:

If you're starting to plan your trip to Azerbaijan here is basic information about Azerbaijan  that will be useful to know before you go.

• Azerbaijan City Distances Map
• Azerbaijan Geography   and Basic Facts
• ATM Cards in Azerbaijan
• Eating in Azerbaijan
• Free Things to Do in Azerbaijan
• Azerbaijan Travel Glossary
• Sites and Museums to Book in Advance

What To See In Azerbaijan

Choose where to go in  Azerbaijan. Best of Azerbaijan has top picks for places to go and things to see in  Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has more than 115 museums, galleries and their branches in every city and region of the republic. Among the most unique landmarks are the ancient mausoleums of Momine-Khatun and Jusif, the towers of Absheron Peninsila. Gobustan mountains, Beyuk-dash, Kichikdash, Dzhingirdag, Shongardag and Shihgai have preserved the evidence of Azerbaijani people centuries old past starting from the Stone Age - rock drawings, prehistoric people's sites, rock fortresses, tombs and burial places. 

This video was made for tourists on the Eve "Eurovision 2012"

Azerbaijan’s Top

Cities

Baku and the Absheron peninsula; Nakhchivan, Guba-Khachmaz, Sheki-Zagatala, and Lankaran-Astara regions; and the historical areas of Shirvan and Ganjabasar are the most attractive for travelers in Azerbaijan. The lovely nature of these places, numerous ancient ruins, wonderful ethnographic variety and the astonishing skills of local craftsmen will leave an unforgettable impression of Azerbaijan upon its guests. 

Choose When To Go 

To Azerbaijan

Where To Stay In Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has a large choice of accommodation and lodging options. You can choose a city hotel,   or  bed and  breakfast in the countryside, a vacation rental for stays of a week, or even lodging in a castle. Here are some Azerbaijan accommodation suggestions.

Geography of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is situated at the junction of Europe and Asia, and borders upon Georgia, Russia, Iran, Armenia and Turkey. From the east, the territory of the country is washed by the Caspian Sea. The mountains of the Caucasus and Talysh, which are crossed by fertile valleys, make up more than half of the territory of the country. Along with steppes and sparse vegetation in the mountains are vast shaded forests. Up to 1,250 large and small rivers flow through Azerbaijan. The biggest are the Kura River (1,515 km) and Araz River (1,072 km). 

The real jewels among Azerbaijan's natural treasures are its mountain lakes. The Batabat, the Goygol, the Maralgol and other lakes possess a unique and distinctive beauty. There are more than 1,000 mineral springs (the most famous of which are Badamli, Istisu, and Sirab). The plant and animal life of Azerbaijan is rich and diverse. More than 4,000 species of plants grow here, including many native varieties, as well as more than 1,200 types of animals and birds: bear, lynx, wolf, Caucasian goat, jeyran, deer, turaj, pheasants, flamingo, pelicans and countless others. 

White sturgeon, salmon, kutum, and stellate sturgeon are found in the Caspian Sea and in the mouths of the rivers flowing into it. The climate is transitional, from temperate to sub-tropical. 

Azerbaijan as tourism destination

“If you knock on any door in Azerbaijan, or anywhere in the Caucasus, say that you area foreigner and have no place to spend the night, the owner of the house will immediately give you his largest room. He and his family will move to the small room. Moreover, during the week, two weeks, or the month that you stay in his house he will take care of you and will not let you want for anything”.

                                                               (Alexandre Dumas, 1975)

Azerbaijan is a territory of  9-out of 11 of the world's climatic zones. Climate of our country enables to organize summer and winter holidays. Very common are ecological tours to Azerbaijan, which include visits to nature reservations, trekking and climbing routes. Midday sandy beaches offer opportunities for diving, and swimming season starts in Azerbaijan in May.

Tourism sector in Azerbaijan is developing day by day, becoming one of the most important sectors of the economy.

Becoming a member of the World Tourism Organization in 2001, the adoption of law on tourism and of state programs “ The Development of Tourism in 2002-2005 and 2010-2014”, establishment of institutions in charge of tourism gave an impetus to revitalization of this sector in the country.

The flow of tourists is increasing every year (according to official information in 2011 Azerbaijan was visited a record number of foreign nationals - more than 2.2 million), so in the capital and other tourist areas there is a growing number of hotels with the highest level of service. Today their number is more than 500. Among the most popular hotels in the capital are the chain of brand hotels such as Four Seasons Hotel Baku, Hyatt Regency, JW Marriott Absheron Baku Hotel, Jumeirah Bilgah Beach Hotel, Grand Hotel Europe, Hilton Baku, Kempinski Hotel Badamdar etc.

dcddHotels, recreation, entertainment and sports centres operate also in the regions of Azerbaijan - a chain of hotels and amusement park Qafqaz Gabaland in Gabala, the epic winter and summer tourist complex “Shahdag” in Gusar region, more than 15 Olympic sports complex having necessary infrastructure for receiving tourists all over the country, etc.

All this indicates that tourism in Azerbaijan is one of the priorities of the state policy and holds great promise for economic development.

As an every section besides the development, in this section Azerbaijan has got problems.The main problem the tourist industry of  our country faces is the improvement of the level of travel services. Of a good example can be launching of the “Winter & Summer Tourist Complex Shahdag” in the northern region  Kusar which will create hundreds of job opportunities for the local population of the northern regions.

The complex’s capacity is about 10.000 tourists per day. However most of the regions do not meet international standards. Many hotels and other recreational zones in the regions of the country do not have their own websites. Consequently a tourist cannot make a reservation for a room. It is related to the development of rural tourism as a whole. Rural Tourism is constrained by a number of negative factors which can be classified as:

• Poor range and quality of services;
• The lack of a developed network of modern highways;
• Poor performance of transport enterprises;
• Lack of trained employees
• High prices

The growing demand for tourist services has given rise to a building of small hotels, chiefly in resort areas, as well as to an increase in the number of international chain hotels and domestic hotel brands in Baku such as Marriott, Hilton, Four Seasons and Qafqaz Hotels. If in 2001 there were 86 hotels in Azerbaijan, now their number has reached 508. Regarding the number of tourists visiting Azerbaijan there is a significant increase for the last few years. In 2011 the country hosted more than 2.000.000 tourists. With regard to tourist infrastructure facilities such as transportation, entertainment centers, aqua parks, there is clearly not enough of them. One of the main problems of attracting foreign tourists to Azerbaijan is high prices of airline tickets and airport charges. So, creating conditions for high-quality and accessible vacations requires a more active state tourism policy (Gurbatov, 2010).

Events of international scale in Azerbaijan

Since its independence Azerbaijan has being held many international events including sport, art, cultural and music events. The main objective of these events is the popularization of Azerbaijan culture in and “introduction” of the country to the modern world which will enable to attract more foreign visitors. Among cultural events it should be mentioned annual music contests and festivals holding in different regions of  Azerbaijan: Baku International Jazz Festival, Gabala International Music Festival, Mstislav Rostropovich International Festival, International World of Mugham Festival etc. Every year hundreds of ethnomusicologist scientists and musicians take part in these festivals. Of great interest among local and foreign tourists is Pomegranate Festival in Goychay which features the country’s pomegranate-cuisine, national music and dances. Annually some 5.000-7.000 tourists attend the festival and enjoy the sights. Besides, in recent years Azerbaijan has hosted World and European championships, among them World Boxing Championships, the Boy’s World Championships, the Gymnastics World Cup, the Wrestling World Championships and the European Wrestling Championships. In September 2012 Azerbaijan hosted the FIFA U-17 Women`s World Cup Azerbaijan 2012. Azerbaijan International Travel and Tourism Fair, which is held annually in Baku is a significant step toward promoting Azerbaijan’s potential and showing dynamic development of the country’s promising tourism market.

One of the best chances to demonstrate culture and potential of Azerbaijan was Eurovision Song Contest which took place in Baku in 2012. The holding of the contest in Baku impacted the overall amenity of the city. Before the contest the construction of the National Flag Square in the boulevard was finished, Haydar Aliyev International Airport was modernized. Baku Crystall Hall where the contest took place was built in a very short time and became one of the mostly visited attraction sites of local and foreign tourists in Baku. During 15 days at the time of hosting the contest more than 50 thousand people had crossed the border of Azerbaijan. Usually no more than 30.000 tourists visit Azerbaijan for 15 days. The number of travelers in Azerbaijan at that time staying at hotels, hostels, with relatives, friends and acquaintances, was more than 50,000. The number of people who came to Azerbaijan to experience the joy of competition and to feel the festive mood has increased. This year on June 15,2015 In Baku will be  held Baku 2015 European Games . We hope the number of tourists will come to Azerbaijan and enjoy our country!

Summer İn Azerbaijan

Recreation and entertainment zones located in Azerbaijan along the Caspian coast, forests and mountains will deliver an unforgettable experience to all those who love the sun, sea and sand, picnics and walks on forest trails, swimming under waterfalls and horseback riding. Many tourist regions of Azerbaijan have also numerous springs with thermal and mineral water, which has high therapeutic indices.

One of the main features of the summer season is abundance of vegetables and fruit in Azerbaijan, admiring with their range and local varieties. Surprisingly delicious cherries and apricot and honey-flavored peaches, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, pears, plums precede the season of watermelons, melons, figs, grapes, best varieties, which are comparable in quality with only the Greek and Italian.

True gourmets like summer dishes of Azerbaijani cuisine based on local products, preserving its natural taste while cooking. Recently, more and more foreign visitors noted this feature in recipes Azerbaijani cuisine. This primarily refers to the summer barbecue in nature, which is made from fresh, succulent meats, fish, poultry and game. Barbecue in Azerbaijan is famous for at least an Italian tavern, inn Slavic, French bistro, Japanese seafood restaurant ...

And all dishes are served necessarily cheese, greens, great meats and pickles, occupying pride of place on the menu.

Centre of attraction visitors and tourists in Azerbaijan, as well as all fans of high art is Gabala Music Festival - a festival of classical music as well as jazz and mugham, which has held every summer since 2009 (late July - early August) in the Azerbaijani city - Gabala .

The festival is held at the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, with the support of Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Musical performances take place at an open-air in the chamber and concert halls Gabala. Orchestras and singers around the world take part in the Festival. Every two years there is an international piano competition.

Since the fourth festival was held from July 22 to August 5, 2012, gathering 350 musicians from 10 countries. One of the guests of honor was the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit.

Official site of the Gabala Music Festival: www.gabalafestival.com

  In this step we made a questionnaire :

" Who were in Gabala during his/her summer holiday? 

"What is the difference between the hotels in Gabala and  the hotels in Turkey?"(of course to this question answered the students who were in Turkey)

 Again A.Narmin answered this question more  clearly. She said when she was 7 years old she with family were in Gabala,Qafkaz Riverside Hotel:

"-It is 5 star hotel with all circumstances, it admires tuorists with its beauty. Everything was wonderfull there. There is also a big Luna park "Gabala Luna Park'for children. But there are some problems there-example-meal problem.You can have only one time meal there - It is breakfast. For lunch and dinner you have to go out to have lunch or dinner.

Yes, It is true that there is a big and beautiful restaurant   inside the hotel but when you have meal there you have to pay for it. Beside it, the meal is very expensive when you have it here. But in Turkey you don't have to pay  for the meal when you have it inside the hotel .

There are a lot of restaurants there,when and where you want you can eat your meal,snack, cake,ice-cream and so on. There are also ALA-Carte restaurants that belongs to different nations:example,fish, italian, mexcican, turkish,chinese and so on. You  pay for the meal you eat in ALA-Carte restaurants, but the bill for this meal is always  symbolic. 
I have to say that the climate in Gabala was very gloomy and rainy though it was summer,July, at that time. So we couldn't use swimming pools."

Summer in the Capital

The capital of Azerbaijan – Baku has attractive summer in many respects. The city is surrounded by numerous resorts and beach zones: Mardakan, Zagulba, Bilgah, Buzovna, Nardaran, Shih, Novkhani, Pirshagi, Dyubandy, etc., where the luxury hotels have recently built, and private beaches have opened and the service is provided by modern standards. Today hotels such as Jumeirah Bilgah Beach Hotel, Sea Breeze, the family-entertainment complex AF Hotel-Aqua Park, Khazar Golden Beach Hotel and others are very popular. In the capital and its suburbs there are open several aqua parks where you can spend your time if you are not a fan of sea swimming.

Those who have not visited Baku will be interested to know about the reception of guests in hotels of different categories  in the capital of Azerbaijan. They are luxury hotels, quite a large number of business hotels, boutique hotels, charming, unusual, family, and even romantic.

Baku at night like a shining metropolis of ultramodern fantastic film. Baku seacoast boulevard - one of the best in the world, the most attractive place for all who come to the capital of Azerbaijan, regardless of the purpose of visiting the country. Gorgeous landscaping, shady alleys, comfortable cafe serving delicious ice cream, desserts and snacks of any kind, tea, a yacht club, attractions for children and adults, a shopping and entertainment centre Park Bulvar. The true ornament of the National Seashore Park - Baku Crystal Hall, a shining neon lights was opened on the eve of Eurovision Song Contest 2012.

Many pleasant impressions you can get during a visit to parks and gardens of Baku city. Philharmonic Park, Officers’ Park, Molokan garden and other gardens in the city are especially beautiful and well-furnished. It is interesting to visit the Botanical Garden and Mardakan Arboretum which contains a rich collection of various types of world flora. There is also new funicular which has been the recently reconstructed according to modern standards.

Tour fans will learn a lot of interesting things while visiting Baku, its historical and architectural monuments and tourist facilities such as  historical and cultural reservation Icheri Sheher, Shirvanshahs Palace, Archeological and Ethnographic Museum, Gala, State Historical-Artistic Reservation Gobustan, historical and architectural complex Ateshgah, and other sights of the capital.

Conclusion

Tourism is a big sector which regulates social and economical operations of the world, enhances the scale of business interests thereby creating mutual relations among nations. There is a political stability, economical, historical, natural and geographical capacity for the development of tourism in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan stands in the 83^rd place in the list of countries that have suitable environment for the development of tourism.

Development of tourism in Azerbaijan is important in terms of social development as well. New work places and entities are opened, local people have opportunities to get additional money, a new market is opened for local products, health care is improved, and awareness of environmental protection is better realized. Accurate evaluation of the competitive advantages and shortcomings of measures taken regarding tourism development in the country can turn the tourist industry into one of the most productive branches of the country’s economy.