ERZURUM – Lahore, the capital city of Punjab, has officially been selected as the ECO Tourism Capital for 2027.
The decision was taken in the 6th ECO Ministerial Meeting on Tourism, held in Erzurum. The meeting brought together tourism ministers and senior officials from nine ECO member states, as well as representatives from the ECO Secretariat, ECO Observers, the Organization of Turkic States, and the Turkish Cypriot State, said a press release on Monday.
The session opened with remarks by Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan, ECO Secretary General, who emphasized the vital role of tourism in fostering regional integration. H.E. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye, outlined Türkiye’s strategies for strengthening its tourism sector.
Discussions further encompassed the progress of tourism cooperation under ECO framework and deliberations on formulating the tourism-related components of ECO’s new strategic vision for the next decade.
A significant milestone of the meeting was the official launch of the 1st Edition of the ECO Tourism Investment Guide, aimed at attracting investment and promoting tourism opportunities within the ECO region. The meeting concluded with the unanimous adoption of the “Erzurum Declaration,” outlining collective commitments with the decisions taken and future directions for regional tourism cooperation.
