From May 31st to June 2nd, Azerbaijan actively participated in the 12th conference of Ministers of Tourism, focusing on the "Development of sustainable and resilient tourism industry" under the auspices of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Khiva, Uzbekistan, Azernews reports, citing the State Tourism Agency.

Azerbaijan's delegation engaged in fruitful discussions during the event. Notably, a meeting of High Officials of OIC member countries convened alongside the conference. On June 2nd, the Ministerial Conference concluded with the chairmanship transition to Uzbekistan.

At the conference, Kanan Guluzade, Adviser to the Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, highlighted Azerbaijan's growing tourism ties within the OIC framework. He underscored that 43% of visitors to Azerbaijan in the first four months of this year hailed from OIC member states. Guluzade emphasized Azerbaijan's rich tourism potential, accentuating the government's dedicated efforts to develop this sector. Moreover, he outlined significant strides taken to restore tourism potential, especially in areas liberated from occupation, including the preservation of Islamic heritage sites.

Guluzade also shed light on Azerbaijan's upcoming hosting of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in November, emphasizing its profound impact on tourism and its role in global climate change discourse.

During the conference, notable Islamic World Tourism Cities for the upcoming years were designated, including Senegal's Darak for 2025, Egypt's Cairo for 2026, and Pakistan's Lahore for 2027.