The 5th meeting of the Azerbaijan-Türkiye Joint Working Group on Tourism took place on 2 April in Antalya. The meeting focused on bilateral cooperation in tourism, as well as opportunities for joint engagement within international organisations. Discussions also covered tourism education, the management of coastal areas for tourism purposes, the development of winter, health and gastronomy tourism, and the improvement of the legislative framework for sustainable tourism.
Participants exchanged views on strengthening cooperation mechanisms between the public and private sectors, enhancing the management of regional tourism and cultural heritage, and expanding the exchange of experience and information in marketing and promotion. The preparation of a Joint Action Programme for 2026 was also among the key topics addressed.
The meeting was co-chaired by Jalil Malikov, Deputy Head of Staff of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the International Relations Department, and brought together representatives of specialised institutions within the tourism industry.
Within the framework of the meeting, the implementation of the Joint Action Plan for 2025 was reviewed, and priority areas for the new Joint Action Plan for 2026 were identified.
Discussions also addressed cooperation within international platforms, including the UN Tourism Organization, the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation and the Organization of Turkic States. In addition, views were exchanged on Lahij’s nomination for the UN Tourism Organization’s “Best Tourism Village” initiative.
Particular attention was given to the designation of the city of Shusha as the Tourism Capital of the Economic Cooperation Organization for 2026. On behalf of Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, an invitation was extended to Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, to attend the 7th Meeting of Tourism Ministers and the 9th Meeting of the High-Level Expert Group to be held in Shusha.
The meeting also explored opportunities for cooperation related to COP31, while highlighting Azerbaijan’s successful hosting of COP29 in November 2024. It was noted that, for the first time in the history of COP, tourism was included in the thematic agenda, and an agreement was reached to share Azerbaijan’s experience in this area with the Turkish side.
The role of the Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau’s representative office in Istanbul was also underscored, particularly in terms of expanding tourism ties between the two countries, strengthening connections between industry stakeholders, and facilitating B2B meetings.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Azerbaijan Tourism Agencies Association (ATAA), the Azerbaijan Hotel Association (AHA), as well as their Turkish counterparts - the Turkish Hotel Association (TÜROB) and the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB).
At the conclusion of the meeting, a Protocol on cooperation in the field of tourism was signed between the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye.
