The role of the community in the development of tourism in Azerbaijan: the example of Sheki and Zagatala regions

Tourism considered a phenomenon of the 21st century all over the world, has become one of the primary needs of people. People regularly need to move away from their current familiar places in order to adapt to a changing, renewed life. This tendency enables people worldwide to travel from one place to another for different purposes. In such a case, there is a need to prepare certain services in the destinations to welcome, accommodate, and spend their leisure time effectively with those people - i.e., real tourists. The source of these services aimed at meeting the needs of tourists can be different - large, medium, and small entrepreneurs, local population, local government bodies, and others. Each of the mentioned parties is a stakeholder in the development of tourism. In the article, a research study was carried out on how the local population - that is, communities - approach tourism and their roles in tourism. The main objective of the research is to examine the current state of the tourism and hospitality sector in rural communities and suggest possible ways for future development, identify the main problems faced by people in rural guesthouses, and propose solutions to the problems in order to provide quality service to tourists visiting the region. The research was conducted with 21 local community representatives who live in the Sheki and Zagatala regions and provide various services to tourists. Sheki is a developed area in terms of tourist reception. Zagatala is a destination in the northwestern part of Azerbaijan that is rich in natural beauty. The article comparatively analyzes the attitude of the local population towards tourism in two destinations, where the number of tourists varies depending on their distance from the capital. The results were analyzed, the approach of the local population to tourism and expectations from tourism in both regions were evaluated, and the role of the community in the development of tourism and its prospects were determined.