The Turkmentravel 2026 international tourism conference was held Tuesday at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan in Ashgabat.
At a plenary session titled “Tourism as a Bridge Between Cultures: Sustainable Development and International Cooperation,” speakers included Turkmenistan Culture Minister Atageldi Shamyradov, Turkish Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Nadir Alpaslan, Chairman of the Kyrgyz Republic’s Tourism Department Erdenet Kasymov, Chief of Staff of the Azerbaijan State Tourism Agency Kanan Firovsi oglu Aliyev, and Head of Turkmenistan’s National Directorate for the Protection, Study and Restoration of Historical and Cultural Monuments Muhammetdurdy Mamedov.
In remarks, Shamyradov said Turkmenistan places special emphasis on developing the tourism sector and highlighted a rise in foreign visitors. Shamyradov said most tourists come from the United States, Germany, Russia, South Korea, Japan and Australia.
The conference also featured a plenary session titled “Shared Heritage of the Region: How to Promote Central Asian Culture Globally,” with several officials delivering remarks.
The Turkmentravel 2026 international tourism exhibition and conference, which opened Tuesday in Ashgabat, will run through April 16. The program also includes an exhibition and B2B and B2G meetings.
