On December 4-5, Baku hosts "1st meeting of tourism educational institutions of the member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization," a collaborative effort by the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Economic Cooperation Organization.

Official state representatives and delegates from tourism education institutions representing 9 member countries of the organization, namely Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Pakistan, as well as representatives from the UN World Tourism Organization, participates in the event.

During the event, Fuad Naghiyev, the Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, emphasized that human resources and the quality of staff potential are crucial factors influencing tourism development. He highlighted that the primary objective of tourism education is to equip human capital with the essential knowledge and skills required across all sub-fields of tourism. He mentioned that tens of thousands of individuals are presently employed in the field of tourism in Azerbaijan. However, given the continuous growth of the industry, there is a perpetual demand for highly qualified, well-trained, and skilled personnel in the tourism sector. In his address, Fuad Naghiyev highlighted that the "Karabakh University," set to be established in our liberated territories by Presidential Decree, will incorporate specializations related to tourism.

The Secretary-General of the Economic Cooperation Organization, Khusrav Noziri, underscored in his address that collaboration in tourism education is vital for the advancement of regional tourism. In this context, he emphasized that the first meeting of educational institutions on tourism within the organization is a momentous event. He also emphasized the strides made in the field of tourism in Azerbaijan in recent years, highlighting the existing rich potential. He recalled that Shusha was designated as the tourism capital during the 7th meeting of the organization's High-ranking Tourism Experts and the 5th meeting of Tourism Ministers held in Ardabil in October of this year.

As part of the event, a bilateral meeting took place between STA Chairman Fuad Naghiyev and OIC Secretary-General Khusrav Noziri.

During the event, panel discussions are scheduled on topics such as "Coordinating the State, Education, and Industry: Best Practices in Tourism Education," "Curriculum Design: Enhancing Tourism Education for Future Demand," and "Innovation and Technology: Emerging Trends in Tourism Education." Additionally, there will be presentations from higher education institutions offering tourism education.

On the second day of the event, a round table was convened to discuss broadening partnership opportunities for tourism education and establishing a unified network of tourism education institutions among the member countries of the organization. The session also focused on fostering collaboration in various fields related to tourism education and endorsing the "Baku Declaration," encapsulating the objectives of this inaugural meeting.