Baku, June 8, 2025 – The Europe Today: The 71st meeting of the United Nations Commission on Tourism for Europe was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from June 4 to 6, bringing together representatives from 38 member countries. Turkmenistan was represented by a delegation led by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Germany and Permanent Representative to the UN Tourism, B. Rejepov.
The conference focused on the development of the tourism industry across the European region, addressing current challenges and forging agreements to expand cooperation among participating nations.
According to UN Tourism data, international tourism in 2024 has nearly fully rebounded from the pandemic impact, reaching 99% of 2019 levels. International tourist arrivals totaled approximately 1.4 billion, marking an 11% increase over 2023.
Europe remains the world’s leading tourism destination, welcoming 747 million international tourists in 2024, a 1% rise compared to 2019 and a 5% increase from the previous year. This growth was largely driven by increased intra-regional travel and the recovery of key source markets. Between 2009 and 2019, Europe experienced consistent tourism growth, rising from 480 million to 742 million arrivals, with an average annual growth rate of 4.5%.
Turkmenistan continues to actively engage in UN Tourism initiatives, emphasizing the advancement of its tourism sector at both national and regional levels. The country remains committed to strengthening international cooperation and promoting its rich cultural and natural heritage on the global stage.
