On February 6, the 4th Meeting of the Azerbaijan-Türkiye Joint Tourism Working Group was held in Baku, focusing on bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector and collaboration within international organizations. Discussions covered tourism education, management of coastal areas for tourism purposes, health tourism, and the improvement of the legal framework for sustainable tourism.
The meeting explored mechanisms for public-private sector cooperation, regional tourism management, cultural heritage preservation, marketing and promotional strategies, and the preparation of a Joint Action Plan for 2025.
Co-chaired by Azadə Huseynova, Deputy Chairperson of the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan, and Nadir Alpaslan, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye, the session was attended by representatives of specialized tourism organizations. Participants reviewed the progress of the 2024 Joint Action Plan and discussed the objectives for the 2025 plan.
The 2025 Joint Action Plan will include collaborations within the UN Tourism, Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) frameworks. Additionally, Azerbaijan's application for the "Best Tourism Village" nomination under UN Tourism was discussed.
Further discussions centered on regional tourism development, Türkiye’s experience in agritourism in Rize and Trabzon, the “Touristic Village” initiative in İzmir’s Birgi and Şirince villages, and the establishment of partnerships between Lankaran Regional Tourism Office and the relevant institutions in Rize and Trabzon.
The 2025 plan will also focus on cooperation between the Tourism and Recreation Zone Management and Development Center under the State Tourism Agency and its Turkish counterparts, the opening of Azerbaijan’s tourism representation office in Türkiye, promoting Azerbaijan’s tourism industry in Turkish films and TV series, strengthening business tourism relations, joint marketing initiatives on international platforms, B2B meetings for tourism professionals, and familiarization trips.
Other key topics discussed included cultural tourism and heritage management, organizing the Azerbaijan-Türkiye Handicrafts Festival in Basgal or Sheki, developing archaeological tourism, and ensuring the sustainable use and preservation of cultural heritage for tourism. Additionally, collaborations between the Azerbaijan Tourism and Management University and Ankara University to introduce a gastronomy program, as well as experience exchange in obtaining Michelin stars for restaurants, were discussed.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Azerbaijan Tourism Agencies Association, Azerbaijan Hotel Association, Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), Turkish Airlines, and the Turkish Tourism Investors Association.
At the conclusion of the meeting, a protocol was signed between the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye.
It is worth noting that on November 15, 2023, Azerbaijan and Türkiye signed an agreement to enhance bilateral cooperation and strengthen tourism relations.
