Lately, social media, and specifically Instagram, have become a key influencer in shaping our travel plans. Whether it’s the cherry blossoms in Japan or the scenic beauty of Kazakhstan, platforms like Instagram have not only ignited our desire to explore the world, but also nudged us towards booking our next trip.

Now, it seems that Indians have set their sights on a new coveted destination – Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan: The viral hit

Located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia, bordered by the Caspian Sea to the east, and Russia to the north, Azerbaijan with a mere population of 1.1 crore (according to their latest calculations) is now seemingly becoming a popular choice for a lot of Indians (including Indian travel influencers).

Azerbaijan’s capital and largest city, Baku, known for its “European feel” (as described by these travel influencers), is also becoming a major tourist hotspot.

For instance, searches for Baku showed a whopping 438% increase in 2023, according to Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2024 report.

Here are some reasons

• Flight ticket prices

Rohit Khattar, founder of Your Travel Genie, a travel company that arranges solo travel especially for women, says that he has also seen increased demand for Azerbaijan trips amongst Indians.

One of the reasons he attributes to this is the flight prices.

“Earlier, a round trip to Azerbaijan would cost you around Rs 50k; now, it’s around Rs 25k,” he says.

“The flight prices have gone down drastically,” he adds.

According to the Skyscanner report, flight ticket prices to Azerbaijan from India have fallen by 22 percent in 2023 compared to 2022.

We also checked the prices for flights to Baku, Azerbaijan, from Delhi and found that to be true. For instance, round-trip tickets for March 2024 (as checked on February 13) were around Rs 30k.

Additionally, you can get a non-stop flight to Baku from Delhi and be there in just 5 hours.

• Three-day visa

There is no doubt that in countries where obtaining visas can be a hassle, tourists (especially Indians) often end up disappointed (we see you, Schengen visa).

However, Azerbaijan has recently streamlined its visa process with an e-visa for Indians.

More about e-visa

Getting an Azerbaijan e-visa is an easy three-step process.

Step 1: Apply through their online government portal

Step 2: Fill in the data and pay

Step 3: You’ll receive your visa within three days via email

And price? The visa will cost you USD 20 (approximately Rs 1,600).