Today, the capital’s Yyldyz Hotel hosted the International Conference “Main directions and potential for tourism development in Turkmenistan”.

The forum is attended by representatives of international organizations, managers and experts of leading Turkmen and foreign companies specializing in the relevant field, including from Türkiye, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, China, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Korea, and also Sri Lanka.

As is known, Turkmenistan aims to intensify international cooperation in the field of tourism, as evidenced by successful contacts in this area with different countries. In addition, the Turkmen state actively presents its capabilities at international forums. In this regard, the launch ceremony of events on the occasion of declaring Anau city as the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2024, held the day before in the “Türkmeniň ak öýi” building in the Ak Bugday etrap of Ahal velayat, is indicative.

The forum was preceded by an exhibition of arts and crafts and fine arts, which took place in the hotel lobby, as well as a performance by bakhshies-sazandars and violinists.

Those present listened with great enthusiasm to the welcoming Address of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to the participants of the international conference, which emphasized that large-scale state programs for the development of tourism increase the global authority of neutral Turkmenistan and find broad support from the international community. The tourism industry of our country is developing on the basis of progressive achievements, rich experience, and modern trends in international tourism.

“Historical monuments of our country, such as Ancient Merv, Nisa, Kunyaurgench, the Great Silk Road: Zarafshan-Garagum Corridor, Bereketli Garagum, Gaplaňgyr State Nature Reserves, Repetek State Biosphere Reserve and its desert ecosystem Ýerajy included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. These places are widely known for their ancient monuments dating back to early centuries and their unique nature,” the head of state noted in his message.

Today, in the era of the Revival of a new epoch of a powerful state, tourism is one of the priority sectors of the economy of our country, which, taking into account the rich historical past, can rightfully be called a unique open-air museum. The study and application of global experience in the tourism and active recreation industry directly serves the comprehensive development of the tourism sector of Turkmenistan and the improvement of its infrastructure.

It should be noted that the wealth and originality of the carefully preserved national heritage, numerous archaeological monuments, and masterpieces of ancient, ancient and medieval architecture allow our country to increase its international rating in this sector, gaining increasingly significant positions in the global tourism market. This is also facilitated by the establishment of modern market relations in the tourism sector, stimulation of entrepreneurial initiative, attraction of investments and the use of resources from other industries, for example, transport and communications, trade and construction.

Current directions of the state strategy for the development of the tourism complex of Turkmenistan are expanding the geography and diversity of tourist routes, improving the quality of services provided, training qualified specialists for this industry, establishing effective information and advertising activities and fruitful international relations.

We are also talking about measures taken to include unique corners of nature and places of interest in Turkmenistan on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the development of hotel and recreational infrastructure.

Today, Turkmenistan perfectly meets the growing demand among European travel enthusiasts for historical tours to places with natural exoticism, a contrast between antiquity and modernity. Popular tours include travel along the Great Silk Road. Thus, guests of our country are attracted by a meeting with one of the outstanding and at the same time still full of unsolved mysteries civilization of the East – the country of Margiana, famous for its unique monuments and sensational discoveries of archaeologists.

Foreign tourists are left with an indelible impression on excursions to the Ancient Merv State Historical and Cultural Reserve, Kunyaurgench, etc. Delighting the eye with their grandeur and amazing beauty, these and other monuments are distinguished by a high degree of perfection of the technical and visual techniques used, demonstrating the continuity of a thousand-year-old cultural tradition.

Forum participants noted that the ongoing large-scale reforms for the consistent development and improvement of tourism infrastructure are yielding good results. The number of modern hotels is increasing, the Avaza world-class resort, Ashgabat, included in the list of the Federation of Tourist Cities of the World, and Arkadag city, which amazes with the beauty of its buildings, have gained great popularity. Ecological, health-improving, folklore-ethnographic, historical-architectural, cultural-educational, business, sports and other types of tourism are widely developed in the country.

As it was emphasized, the wealth and diversity of nature, centuries-old traditions of handicraft, friendliness and hospitality of the Turkmen people, national Turkmen cuisine – all this complements and enriches the tourism potential of Turkmenistan.

The state provides full support to Turkmen and foreign scientists, creating conditions for research and study of national history. Our country hosts international scientific conferences dedicated to the national historical and cultural heritage, with special attention paid to creating a favorable climate for the development of tourism.

Foreign guests stated that currently more and more attention is being paid to improving educational programs and initiatives adapted to the changing needs of the tourism industry. This includes developing specialized curricula, integrating technology into teaching methods, and promoting experiential learning opportunities.

It was also noted that there is a trend towards collaboration between academic institutions, industry stakeholders and government agencies to ensure the relevance and effectiveness of tourism education initiatives.

In this context, it was emphasized that cultural understanding, economic sustainability and social responsibility are intertwined in tourism education, which goes beyond the usual boundaries of education. By teaching people the intricacies of tourism, they can be given the chance to make a meaningful contribution to the growth of the sector, opening up new prospects for economic prosperity and promoting intercultural understanding, conference participants noted.

It was stated that tourism not only benefits from peace and stability, like most other sectors, but also preserves and promotes cultural identity and heritage. Accordingly, tourism professionals act as cultural mediators, playing a key role in bridging cultural differences.

Focusing on the broad prospects for long-term cooperation in this segment, the speakers emphasized that currently, taking into account the conditions created for the development of this area, it is necessary to promote the tourism opportunities of Turkmenistan abroad. They also talked about the practical implementation of the Joint Program “One Tour – the Whole Region”, which will cover the entire range of tourism products.

Thus, the current International Conference “Main directions and potential for tourism development in Turkmenistan” is intended to present the achievements of our state in the tourism sector, modern developments of leading specialized companies, and to facilitate the expansion of partnerships.

On the sidelines of the forum, working meetings were held and relevant documents were signed, new contacts were established, and prospects for cooperation were discussed.

At the end of the international conference, its participants accepted an Address of gratitude to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in which they expressed deep gratitude for the attention to the issues of improving the country’s tourism industry.

As part of the forum, a scientific and practical conference was held at the Turkmen State Institute of Culture, where foreign participants exchanged experience in the field of tourism with teachers and students of the Turkmen university.

A rich cultural program includes visiting Arkadag city and the Nisa State Historical and Cultural Reserve, as well as exploring the sights of Ashgabat.