The 2nd ECO High Level Expert Group (HLEG) Meeting on Tourism was held on 11-12 June, 2008, in Baku. It was hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Delegates from nine ECO member states, except Turkmenistan, participated in the meeting.
Mr. Aydin Ismiyev, Head of Tourism Department in the Azeri Ministry of Culture and Tourism inaugurated the meeting. Mr. Mustafa Demirezen, Deputy Secretary General of ECO Secretariat highlighted ongoing tourism plans and activities for promotion of tourism in the ECO region.
The Heads of delegations made country reports, focusing mainly on their plans, activities and projects aimed at the promotion of tourism. The meeting reviewed the Modality for the Establishment of ECO Tourism Promotion Fund and appreciated Azerbaijan's proposals on the subject. Other member states would convey their views on the Modality for the Establishment of ECO Tourism Promotion Fund within two months. Final recommendations would be drawn up for submission to the ECO Ministerial Meeting on Tourism scheduled for November 2008 in Iran. The meeting welcomed the offer of the Islamic Republic of Iran to provide US $ 50,000 to the ECO Tourism Promotion Fund.
The meeting adopted a Plan of Action on Tourism and stressed that it be implemented in letter and spirit. The meeting decided to prepare a calendar of events for the implementation of the Plan of Action. It also agreed that each member state should host at least one activity of the calendar yearly. In addition, the meeting recommended that the member states should provide information on the prescribed questionnaire, together with pictures, maps and other relevant items. They would also provide a draft Guidebook each comprising fifty pages to ECI within two months.
The Islamic Republic of Iran offered to host the 1st ECO Ministerial Meeting on Tourism in November 2008.
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