BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 12. The inaugural summit of the Union of Ski Resorts of Turkic States has become a milestone in deepening tourism cooperation among the brotherly Turkic countries, said Kenan Guluzade, Advisor to the Chair of the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan, during the event in Shahdag, Trend reports.
In his speech, Guluzade noted that this meeting reflects the growing friendship, solidarity, and cooperation among Turkic states, especially in the field of tourism. The establishment of the Union of Ski Resorts is a major step toward boosting mutual tourism flows and promoting winter recreation across the region’s resorts.
"Our shared history, language, ethnic, and cultural roots among the Turkic nations provide a solid foundation for these relationships. We believe the Union will contribute not only to economic and tourism progress but also to the strengthening of cultural bonds that unite our peoples,” he noted.
Guluzade also expressed pride in the Union’s recent expansion, welcoming new members from Azerbaijan and other participating countries. Among them, he highlighted the Tufandag resort from Azerbaijan.
He reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s commitment to supporting joint tourism initiatives both during its chairmanship and beyond. According to him, positive trends are already visible in the tourism sector: in the first half of this year, Azerbaijan received nearly 300,000 visitors from Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan — a 4 percent increase compared to the same period of 2024.