The ECO Secretariat joins the rest of the world to mark World Tourism Day on September 27, 2022. This year’s theme “Rethinking tourism” advocates for global attention on taking urgent actions needed to recover the tourism industry after pandemic and make it more sustainable, inclusive and resilient sector.
Tourism has over the last few decades become one of the largest and fastest growing industries. However, this sector was one of the hardest hit industries by the corona virus pandemic. As the ECO Member States look to recover from the pandemic, they increasingly recognize the economic and social benefits associated with tourism growth and the fact that there is a need to take the initiative to improve the tourism potential of the region and seek new ways to attract tourists and most importantly promote the exchange of tourists within the region.
The ECO region with its natural beauty and historical and cultural heritage is blessed with the most important tourism destinations in the world. The tourism sector has significant contributions towards the socio-economic development of the region and it can be a powerful tool for regional development, as it stimulates new economic activities and has a positive economic impact on employment and community development in reducing inequalities. Considering the tourism sector as a driver for economic and social development, the ECO has afforded prime significance to this industry as one of the main priority areas of regional cooperation and therefore has set the strategic goal of establishing a peaceful and green tourism destination with diverse products and high quality services in the region.
In order to achieve above mentioned goals the Organization has underlined some objectives to help development of the tourism potential including strengthening ECO-tourism brand, reviving Silk Road tourism, visa facilitation, diversification of tourism activities, utilization of electronic media, human resource development and capacity building, adoption of relevant rules and procedures, establishment of standardization and accreditation bodies, establishment of sustainable and green tourism monitoring mechanisms, strengthening involvement of private sector and local community in the tourism activities and development of diverse means and new solutions to address emerging issues and range of markets to best serve the ideals and goals of sustainable tourism in the region.
