International conference on tourism development in the SCO countries during the pandemic

On May 28, the SCO Youth Council Secretariat and the SCO Secretariat held a joint conference in Moscow on the development of SCO domestic tourism during the pandemic.

The program of the event was addressed by the SCO Secretary General Vladimir Norov, representatives of the ministries and departments of the SCO member states, in particular, Denis Kravchenko, Head of the Russian national branch of the SCO Youth Council, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, Industry, Innovative Development and Entrepreneurship, Li Baochong, Deputy Secretary General of the World Federation of Tourist Cities, officials of the World Federation of Tourist Cities and the SCOLAR Youth Network, as well as a trainee researcher at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy Munisa Zakirova. The SCO tourism platform JOINPRO was also presented at the conference.

SCO Secretary General Vladimir Norov said that the pandemic has caused great losses and difficulties to all countries. Today, as a result of the development of information and communication, contactless travel, virtual travel will expand tourist services, the situation, will contribute to the development of a healthy lifestyle. I am confident that the SCO Secretariat will contribute to the implementation of initiatives around the world to achieve all the goals set in the development of tourism.

Victoria Hu, chair of the SCOLAR Network youth platform, said that despite the difficulties during the pandemic, they were able to organize their work online in different time zones, and within six months they opened SCOLAR, a permanent group of volunteers based in and about the city and currently working in 5 cities of 4 SCO countries. She said the most important thing during the pandemic was to see how online tourism could develop.

During the event, Munisa Zakirova, a trainee at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, majoring in International Relations, political Problems of global and regional Development, shared her vision of using cultural diplomacy to develop cooperation in the field of tourism in the SCO.

The SCO tourism platform JOINPRO was also presented at the conference.