Tehran – December 24, 2024
The 3rd Meeting of the ECO Tourism and Transport Task Force was held virtually on 24 December 2024, bringing together stakeholders from the ECO Member States to discuss cooperation initiatives aimed at enhancing connectivity and facilitating the flow of tourists within the region. The meeting focused particularly on the development of passenger transport, addressing both current status and challenges and future opportunities in the sector.
The meeting was attended by the officials from relevant institutions of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives from the ECO Secretariat, including the Directorates of Tourism and Transport and Communications.
Key discussions at the meeting included the status of aviation connectivity between ECO Member States, with an emphasis on the expansion of flight routes and the increasing ease of cross-border travel. Participants highlighted that the growth of tourism in recent years has been significantly driven by the introduction of new flight routes and simplified border procedures. Furthermore, the prospects for expanding rail and road transport as alternative modes of passenger travel were explored.
The meeting also suggested for considering the possibility of holding bilateral and multilateral meetings to explore detailed proposals for infrastructure and route development, border facilitation and the multilateral liberalization of air transport within the ECO region.
Another topic raised during the meeting was the enhancement of the newly launched ECO Tourism Website, with a particular focus on adding content related to travel information. Member States were invited to share their views on how to improve the website’s offerings and make it a more comprehensive resource for tourists and tourism professionals alike.
