Within the context of his official visit to Istanbul (Turkey), Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Mr. Taleb Rifai visited Secretary General of the Turkic Council Ambassador Ramil Hasanov on Friday, January 27, 2017 at the premises of the Turkic Council Secretariat.
During the meeting, the Secretaries General reviewed the steps already taken for the development of tourism along the historical Silk Road within the context of the existing Cooperation Protocol signed in 2015 between the two organizations. Moreover, with regard to the designation of 2017 as “the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development” by the UN General Assembly, organization of the joint activities to be undertaken by the two organizations on the close linkage between tourism and sustainable development was also discussed at the meeting.
Meanwhile, Secretary General Hasanov informed Secretary General Rifai on the final stage of the realization of the Turkic Council Modern Silk Road Joint Tour Package project. Moreover, he indicated that, more than 1000 tourism sector employees of which 50% were women participated in the vocational trainings carried out by Turkey in coordination of the Turkic Council for the tourism sector employees of the other Member States.
Articulating his pleasure to visit Turkic Council, Secretary General Rifai appreciated the contributions of the Council to the development of tourism sector in the region and along the Silk Road. He added his firm belief on the continuation of the fruitful collaboration between the two organizations in 2017 and after then.
At the end of the meeting, General Secretary Ambassador Hasanov presented a gift to Secretary General Rifai in the memory of this day.
Following the meeting, Secretary General Rifai signed the Honor Book of the Turkic Council. The signing ceremony proceeded with the press conference. At the press conference, the two Secretaries General touched upon the significant contribution of tourism in the development of economies and socio-cultural relations. In this context, they emphasized the importance of revealing the enormous potential of the Silk Road through concrete projects.
Secretary General Ambassador Hasanov was accompanied by the Project Directors Pelin Musabay Baki and Yedil Mirzakhanov as well as Chief of Protocol Emre Yurdakul during the meeting,
Following the Summit of Heads of States of the Turkic Council with the theme of ’tourism cooperation’, held in Bodrum in 2014, the Turkic Council stepped up its efforts to strengthen tourism on the Silk Road. In this context, the Turkic Council Modern Silk Road Joint Tour Package, which will be completed in the first half of 2017, will present an alternative and unique tourism destination to tourists who would like to discover this historical destination.
