Azerbaijan, Türkiye ink new protocol on tourism cooperation

A protocol on cooperation in the field of tourism has been signed between the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye, Report informs, citing the agency.

The signing took place on April 2, 2026, in Antalya during the 5th meeting of the Azerbaijan–Türkiye Joint Working Group on Tourism. The meeting discussed not only bilateral cooperation in tourism but also opportunities for joint activities within international organizations, tourism education, management of coastal areas for tourism purposes, winter, health, and gastronomy tourism, as well as improving the legislative framework for sustainable tourism.

During the discussions, attention was given to forming cooperation mechanisms between the public and private sectors, managing regional tourism and cultural heritage, expanding experience and information exchange in marketing and promotion, and preparing a Joint Action Program for 2026.

The meeting was co‑chaired by Jalil Malikov, Deputy Head of the Staff and Head of the International Relations Department at the State Tourism Agency, with participation from representatives of specialized tourism industry institutions.

Within the framework of the meeting, the implementation of the Joint Action Plan for 2025 was evaluated, and priority directions for the new Joint Action Plan for 2026 were identified.

Cooperation issues within the UN Tourism, the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), D‑8, and the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) were also discussed, along with Azerbaijan's application for Lahij to be nominated as Best Tourism Village by the UN Tourism.

Special attention was given to the announcement of Shusha as the ECO Tourism Capital for 2026. On behalf of Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, Türkiye's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, was invited to attend the 7th Meeting of Tourism Ministers and the 9th Meeting of the High‑Level Experts Group in Shusha.

The meeting also addressed cooperation opportunities related to COP31, with emphasis on Azerbaijan"s successful hosting of COP29 in November 2024. It was noted that, for the first time in COP history, tourism was included in the thematic agenda, and an agreement was reached to share Azerbaijan"s experience in this field with Türkiye.

Additionally, the role of the newly opened representative office of the Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau in Istanbul was highlighted in expanding tourism ties between the two countries, strengthening connections among industry representatives, and organizing B2B meetings.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Association of Travel Agencies of Azerbaijan (ATAA), the Azerbaijan Hotel Association (AHA), as well as the Turkish Hotel Association (TUROB) and the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB).