SESRIC participated in the 24^th Meeting of the COMCEC Tourism Working Group, held on 21 April 2025. The meeting brought together 38 representatives from the relevant national institutions of 19 OIC countries, as well as representatives from the OIC General Secretariat, SESRIC, COMCEC Coordination Office, and IRCICA. It focused on the theme “Improving the Quality and Sustainability of Heritage Tourism in OIC Countries.”

The meeting commenced with welcoming remarks by H.E. Selçuk KOÇ, General Director of the COMCEC Coordination Office, followed by a presentation delivered by Prof. Dr. Gürel ÇETIN, titled “Improving the Quality and Sustainability of Heritage Tourism in OIC Countries.” As part of the country-level experience sharing, representatives from Türkiye and Mozambique took the floor to present their national experiences.

During the meeting, Dr. Davron ISHNAZAROV, Researcher at SESRIC, delivered a presentation titled “Heritage and Sustainable Tourism in OIC Countries.” The presentation covered current trends and developments in the tourism industry before addressing the challenges and prospects of heritage tourism in OIC countries. The rich cultural and natural heritage of OIC countries presents immense potential for tourism development. However, unchecked sectoral growth can harm the environment and heritage sites. In response, the SESRIC presentation highlighted smart and sustainable tourism strategies as essential tools for advancing the tourism industry while safeguarding natural and cultural heritage. These insights were based on the analysis of current developments and best practices highlighted in SESRIC’s report “International Tourism in OIC Member Countries: Empowering Smart and Sustainable Tourism Development 2024.”

Throughout the presentation, participants were informed about SESRIC’s activities and the ongoing efforts at the OIC level to strengthen national capacities in this domain.

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