Abstract
<jats:p>The article is devoted to the assessment of the global tourist potential of the state historicalcultural and natural reserves of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Currently, nature reserves are of special importance not only from the point of view of preserving the national heritage, but also from the point of view of forming the country's brand on the international tourist market and supporting economic development. The study analyzes the current state of state reserves, their opportunities in the field of sustainable tourism, mechanisms of integration into international practice, and emerging problems. Content analysis, a comparative approach and qualitative observations on exemplary reserves were used as a methodological basis. The analysis shows that such reserves as Yanardag, Gobustan and Hirkansky are important centers that attract the attention of tourists at the national and international levels. These reserves, in addition to the protection of historical, cultural and natural resources, create wide opportunities for ecotourism and cultural tourism. The results show that the international promotion of state reserves and their presentation on digital platforms increase their appeal at the global level. In particular, the presentation of the Gobustan reserve with the help of virtual tours and the development of ecotourism activities in the Hyrkan reserve are successful examples in this area. At the same time, the lack of infrastructure, financial difficulties, climate change and anthropogenic impact limit the full use of the potential of reserves. In the article, it is concluded that in order to strengthen the tourist opportunities of state reserves, it is important to strengthen the state-private cooperation, expand partnership relations with international organizations, and implement sustainable tourism strategies. This approach will allow both to ensure the protection of the national heritage and to strengthen the position of Azerbaijan on the world tourist market.</jats:p>