The first meeting of representatives of the member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), dedicated to issues of education in the field of tourism, was held in the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The participants of the meeting of ECO tourism educational institutions were heads and teachers of higher educational institutions, as well as specialists and experts in the tourism field from Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.

Turkmenistan was represented at the meeting by the Deputy Department of Tourism of the Ministry of Culture of the country Gulshat Bakyyeva and the head of the Department of Hotel Business of the Turkmen State Institute of Culture Ogulsona Annamyradova.

The main goal of the event, organized by the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan together with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), was to establish cooperation between educational institutions of OEC member countries in improving the quality of tourism education in the region.

During the meeting, specific proposals were discussed, including the organization of special advanced training courses for university teachers and retraining of personnel, as well as the exchange of students studying relevant specialties.

As an example of the productivity of the development of tourism education in the ECO space, the activities of the Scientific Institute of Tourism, established in Islamabad (Pakistan), as well as the Educational Institute of Tourism in Ankara (Türkiye), were noted, on the basis of which an online meeting on preparation and retraining is planned this month educational personnel.

Within the framework of the 1st meeting of educational institutions specializing in the field of tourism of the ECO member states, the Baku Declaration was adopted. The document noted the importance of tourism education for the sustainable growth and development of the tourism industry and, to this end, the need for high-quality educational programs that meet global standards, encourage innovation and take into account the changing needs of the industry.

In his speech, Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization Husraw Noziri emphasized the importance of the first meeting of ECO tourism educational institutions in expanding cooperation on the identified goals, noting that from now on this event will be held on an ongoing basis. During their stay in Baku, the Turkmen delegation also visited the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, getting acquainted with its activities.