As a demonstration of the importance given to cooperation in the field of tourism, the theme of the 4th Summit held in Bodrum in 2014 was designated as "Tourism Cooperation." Following the Bodrum Summit, efforts to enhance collaboration in this sector gained momentum. These efforts primarily focused on transforming the historic Silk Road into an attractive tourism destination. In this context, in line with the instructions given by the Heads of State at the Bodrum Summit, the Secretariat developed the Modern Silk Road Joint Tourism Package. The Joint Tourism Package is expected to play a promising role in increasing the flow of tourists among the Turkic States while also encouraging third-party travelers to visit these countries, making it a significant component of regional tourism strategy.
Conducting joint vocational training programs is another fundamental element of tourism cooperation among the Member States. Under the Secretariat's coordination, over 1,500 experts have received professional training in the service sector for tourism personnel in the Member States, in collaboration with the relevant Ministries and tourism institutions. This capacity-building initiative has been recognized in several United Nations reports as a best practice contributing to the success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The 6th Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Tourism of the OTS Member States was held on June 24, 2021, in Kokand, Uzbekistan. As a result of the Ministerial Meeting, the initiative to launch the "Turkic World Tourism Capital" project was approved to further promote regional tourism. Within this framework, one city from the Member States is designated annually as the "Turkic World Tourism Capital." At the end of the meeting, Kokand was officially announced as the first "Turkic World Tourism Capital" until the next Turkic Council Tourism Ministers Meeting.
During the 7th Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Tourism, held on May 23-24, 2022, in Shamakhi, Azerbaijan, Shamakhi was named the "Turkic World Tourism Capital" for 2023. Throughout the year, various events, conferences, festivals, and tourism-related projects were planned for the city. The ministers also agreed to establish a temporary working group composed of Tourism Ministries, Transport Ministries, and other stakeholders to explore opportunities to increase flight frequencies between major cities of Member and Observer States. To systematically and timely implement possible projects, the Heads of Delegations adopted a joint roadmap aimed at strengthening tourism cooperation through various events, exhibitions, festivals, competitions, games, training programs, and tourism initiatives.
A major international conference titled "The Role of the Kokand Khanate in State Formation and Cultural Heritage of the Turkic Peoples" was held on June 8-10, 2022, in Kokand. Organized by the Turkic Council and Uzbekistan's Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, in collaboration with Uzbekistan’s academic institutions, the event was hosted by Kokand University. It was conducted within the framework of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's "Tabarruk Ziyarat" initiative and Kokand’s designation as the "Turkic World Tourism Capital."
Another important event was the Tourism Forum on the implementation of the "Tabarruk Ziyarat" pilot project between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, held on October 3-4, 2022, in Turkistan. The forum included experts from ministries responsible for tourism, customs, border control, and immigration, as well as local governments and tour operators from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The discussions focused on tourism potential in Turkistan, Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara, exploring the current state and future development of pilgrimage tourism within the framework of the "Tabarruk Ziyarat" initiative.
During the Samarkand Summit, Heads of State welcomed the tourism-related activities conducted in Kokand (the first "Turkic World Tourism Capital"), endorsed Shamakhi’s designation for 2023, and supported the implementation of the "Tabarruk Ziyarat" and "Best Tourism Villages of Turkic States" projects. They also instructed Member and Observer States to enhance winter and golf tourism cooperation, praised the results of the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Tourism Forum, and encouraged the expansion of the pilot project to other Member States.
The OTS Tourism Training Program took place on May 7-12, 2023, in Hungary, hosting representatives from the public and private tourism sectors of Member States. Organized by Hungary’s Tourism Agency, participants visited key Hungarian tourism destinations such as Budapest, Veszprem, Balatonfüred, Sümeg, Keszthely, and Heviz, gaining insights into best practices and tourism innovations.
The 8th Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Tourism was held on October 11, 2023, in Turkistan, Kazakhstan. Key agenda items included expanding Silk Road tourism, implementing "Turkic World Tourism Capital" and "Tabarruk Ziyarat" projects, launching the new website www.turkicsilkroad.com, and developing training programs. Following Kazakhstan’s proposal, Turkistan was announced as the "Turkic World Tourism Capital" for 2024, with a roadmap approved for upcoming conferences, festivals, and tourism projects in the city.
The 9th Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Tourism took place on September 25, 2024, in Jalalabad, Kyrgyzstan. Discussions included:
- Establishing the Union of Turkic Ski Resorts
- Enhancing the www.turkicsilkroad.com website
- Investing in Silk Road tourism projects
- Diversifying tourism offerings and products
- Launching tourism education and experience-sharing programs
At the meeting, Jalalabad was designated as the "Turkic World Tourism Capital" for 2025, with a roadmap approved for events, festivals, and conferences in the city throughout the year. Additionally, it was decided that the 10th OTS Tourism Ministers Meeting will be held in Türkiye in 2025.
The first meeting of Turkic Ski Resort Leaders was held on September 23, 2024, in Istanbul at the OTS Secretariat, involving key ski resorts such as:
- Shahdag Ski Resort (Azerbaijan)
- Shymbulak Ski Resort (Kazakhstan)
- Amirsoy Ski Resort (Uzbekistan)
- Uludağ Ski Resort (Türkiye)
One of the main outcomes of this meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of the Union of Turkic Ski Resorts. To promote winter sports in the Turkic world, the First Turkic Ski Cup was jointly organized by founding members at Amirsoy Ski Resort on February 18, 2025.
Last Update: 17:28:17
