On  May 8, 2018, SCO tourism cooperation experts held a meeting in Wuhan, chaired by China. The participants discussed the issues on the draft agenda of the meeting of the SCO National Tourism Agency Heads scheduled for 9 May. They also concluded their work on the draft Joint Action Plan to implement the SCO Tourism Cooperation Programme for 2019-2020.

The experts welcomed the fact that India and Pakistan, countries with a rich historical and cultural heritage, had been granted the status of SCO member states, opening up a new range of opportunities for tourism cooperation in the SCO space.

The participants exchanged their expertise in implementing state policies and developing national legislation in the sphere and also discussed international tourist fairs and exhibitions organised with support from the SCO member states' national tourism agencies.

The SCO Tourism Cooperation Development Programme was adopted at the SCO Summit in Tashkent on 24 June 2016.

The Joint Action Plan on the implementation of the SCO Tourism Cooperation Programme for 2019-2020 is expected to be approved as part of the SCO Heads of State Council Meeting on 9-10 June 2018 in Qingdao.

(Source:eng.sectsco.org May 8, 2018)