Tourism boosts Azerbaijani women’s role in Khinalig’s economy – agency

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 27. The development of tourism in Azerbaijan’s Khinalig has increased local women's participation in handicrafts and other tourism-related activities, Head of the Cultural Heritage Development Division of the Cultural Heritage Department of the State Tourism Agency, Leyla Musayeva, said during a discussion titled "Tourism for a shared future: how inclusivity, equality, and community leadership contribute meaningfully to peacebuilding" held as part of the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, in Baku on Tuesday, Trend’s correspondent reports from the event.

She noted that Khinalig, one of the villages located in the highest mountainous areas of Azerbaijan, was declared a state reserve in 2007 by the order of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. This was an important step towards protecting the village from population decline and gradual erosion.

According to Musayeva, the cultural heritage of Khinalig is part of a wider landscape that connects different regions of Azerbaijan both physically and culturally. The Migratory Road connecting the seasonal summer and winter pastures is also included in that landscape.

"In 2023, after extensive research and the efforts of the State Tourism Agency, the cultural landscape of Khinalig and Koch Road was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List," she remarked.

The agency’s representative added that restoration and conservation works were carried out in Khinalig from 2021 through 2024. These works and the recognition of the area as a UNESCO World Heritage Site have strengthened efforts to preserve the village's architectural heritage and traditional settlement structure.

Furthermore, Musayeva emphasized the importance of preserving local traditions and language, promoting the younger generation's commitment to heritage. According to her, tourism can create new economic opportunities, increase awareness of local heritage, and encourage greater community participation in the preservation and development of the countryside.