"TOURIST JOURNALISTS' CLUB ON TOUR: AZERBAIJAN"

Sahib, our driver, is a cheerful man of about 60. The heavy traffic in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, cannot disturb his state of equilibrium. Even when the Indian "Tatas", the latest "Lexus" jeeps or 30-year old "Volgas" push their way at a snail's pace through the metropolis with its population of 2 million, literally bumper to bumper, Sahib remains calm. If it gets too congested he resorts to his own personal "weapon"; using a megaphone Sahib gives instructions to the drivers alongside from his "Hyundai-Van", whereupon a space opens miraculously for him to drive through.

Twenty-two years after the collapse of the USSR and less than a year after the "Eurovision" contest, national economic activity and international know-how have led to a surprising sense of well-being in Baku. Slowly but surely consumer standards are also on the increase in Azerbaijan's regions. The heavy traffic on the streets is just an outward sign of this. The bright frontages and new office and hotel complexes have been dominating the Baku skyline over the past five years, impressing visitors to the city. New stars appear literally every week at the Crystal Hall concert building, which was recently built for the "Eurovision" contest. It is primarily the country's younger generation (average age 28.6 years) that dresses up in the latest fashions to stroll around the city. Everyone has a mobile phone. There is not only an abundance of supermarkets but they are very popular, too.

Anything that aids progress is extremely welcome in Azerbaijan. There are relatively few bureaucratic delays and the tax system is as simple as it can be. The government's economic strategy has been successful. The country's GDP this year is $72.18bn, which is 12 times more than in 2002 ($6.24bn). Unemployment stands at 6%. In the provision of durable consumer goods (television sets, washing machines, refrigerators and mobile phones) Baku is edging towards west European standards. Progress can be clearly sensed in the home, too. Thanks to improvements in the health system after the collapse of the USSR, life expectation has increased in the country (it is now 74.68 years for women and 68.38 for men), the birth rate is on the increase, and there is relatively little crime.

Ilham Aliyev has the support of the people. Following the restoration of independence many people in the country have obtained free apartments. The government has succeeded in distributing more effectively the overflowing revenue from oil sales for the development of the whole country: schools and new medical centres are being built and everywhere the infrastructure is keeping up to date. "If we do everything right in 50 years time every Azerbaijani will be a millionaire," our interpreter, Yuliya, says seriously. While we tourists smile, she explains: "We have a population of only nine million. Look how Norway has provided access for its citizens to the country's natural wealth. That's how it should be here in Azerbaijan, too." Indeed, the revenue from sources of raw material is immense. Proven reserves of oil are 2bn tonnes. This would be enough to provide oil for Germany, the world's fourth largest economy, for another 20 years. Proven volumes of gas are 2.6 trillion cu m which could fully supply Germany for another 30 years. Already today the average wage in the country is $400. This is one of the highest indices among the former Soviet republics. Whereas in 2003 44.7% of the population lived in poverty, today this figure is only 7.6%.

One of the most flourishing industries in Azerbaijan, which occupies 8% of the country's overall GDP, is the construction industry. In Baku building cranes seem to dance a ballet, they are so close together. Each year on average one million sq m of new housing are built and there are many more business developments. One of the many mega-projects is White City, a new area of the city which covers 221 hectares east of the inner city in Baku. The modern shopping centres, like "Park Boulevard", which is situated on the banks of the Caspian, are of the highest class. Azerbaijan, which covers an area of 86,600 sq km, is a little larger than Austria. The overall length of its streets is 60,000 km. In the past eight years 6,420 km of new roads have been built.

We can find confirmation of the fact that much is being done correctly in the country if we visit the regions. Baku's infrastructure is in no way inferior to western standards, and the rural areas are now "catching up". And here development is also proceeding apace: motorways hundreds of kilometres long are being built, electricity and water are being supplied to Caucasian villages and there is a "sophisticated" infrastructure in the provincial and district administrative centres. A tourism infrastructure is also emerging. Azerbaijan wants to guarantee equal opportunities for all its people, irrespective of where they live - in Baku or the provincial towns of Quba and Goygol.

In order to achieve the desired tourist boom from Europe there is much still to be done. First the visa regime must be abolished and more medium-range hotels instead of five-star should be built. Finally, the airport is manifestly below capacity (although a new airport building is now being built). However, Azerbaijan is already of interest to tourists: the ancient rock paintings in Gobustan [Qobustan] are a part of world cultural heritage; one can receive treatment for a number of illnesses with the help of crude oil at the resort of Naftalan; the traditions of viticulture are being revived in an ancient town with a German population, Helenendorf; and the mountain villages in the Caucasus with their own unique languages and culture boggle the imagination of tourists. Everywhere in the country one is met with cordial hospitality. Germans are given a warm welcome in Azerbaijan and not just since Bertie Vogts became coach of the national soccer team.