Gulalek Muhammetberdiyeva, Head of the Department of International Press and Information at the State Information Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH), spoke at the 35th meeting of the Council of Heads of CIS State Information Agencies, where she discussed the country’s tourism potential. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal.

According to her, tourism has become one of the priority areas of Turkmenistan’s state policy in recent years.

‘Funds are being channelled into this. At the state level, support is being provided to private companies operating in this sector,’ noted Muhammetberdiyeva.

A separate area of focus, she said, is desert tourism, which attracts travellers interested in extreme itineraries and unusual natural landscapes.

Discussions also centred on the ‘Awaza’ national tourist zone, which has been under development since 2008 and is being expanded with new hotels and infrastructure facilities. In October, Awaza will host meetings of the CIS Council of Heads of State and a number of cultural events.

Muhammetberdiyeva highlighted Turkmenistan’s rich historical heritage, citing the ancient sites of Merv, Nisa and Kunya-Urgench – all included on the UNESCO World Heritage List – as among the most significant.

The meeting participants were shown a video highlighting the country’s tourism potential – featuring historical monuments, desert landscapes, Awaza and the capital.