UNWTO and Turkic Council Sign MOU on Tourism Development

The UNWTO and the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen collaboration in advancing tourism as a key driver of socio-economic growth and inclusive development.

The MoU will enhance the cooperation between UNWTO and the Turkic Council in areas such as cultural tourism, including the development of the Silk Road, as a means to increase the competitiveness and diversification of the sector in the Member States of both organizations.

The agreement was signed by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai and the Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, Ambassador Mr. Ramil Hasanov, at the UNWTO Headquarters in Madrid, in the presence of the representatives of the Embassies of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkey to Spain.

“This MoU comes to reinforce the strong relationship we have with the Turkic Council,” said Mr. Rifai on the occasion. “The Turkic Council Member States are valued Members of UNWTO, and I am confident that by joining forces we will be better able to harness tourism’s full potential as a key driver of jobs and inclusive development in our Member States.”

Ambassador Hasanov noted that “with the signing of the MoU between the two organizations, a joint and staunch step has been taken to contribute to developing the tourism sector along the traditional Silk Road, and that the Turkic Council is ready to organize joint events with the UNWTO to further this cooperation.”

He added that “the Turkic Council is working hard to finalize the Turkic Council-Modern Silk Road Joint Tour Package which will provide a unique opportunity for curious travellers.”

The Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council) is an intergovernmental organization established in 2009 with the signing of Nakhchivan Agreement by the Heads of States of its Member States: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. As a new regional cooperation mechanism, it involves a wide range of areas from economy to transport, from sustainable development to education and from media to tourism with a view to accelerating cooperation, not only among its Member States, but also in the region. After the Fourth Turkic Council Summit at the level of Heads of State, hosted by Turkey on 5 June 2014 in Bodrum, on the theme of cooperation in tourism, the Council has increased its efforts to promote the tourism potential of its Member States while boosting regional collaboration in the tourism sector.