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Visa Requirements

Visa requirements may vary depending on your nationality and the destination country within the ECO region. Here’s a general overview:

• Afghanistan: Nationals of many countries require a visa, which can be obtained from Afghan embassies or consulates. For more information click here: https://afghanembassy.org.uk/english/consulate/visa-section/tourist-visa/
• Azerbaijan: Citizens from certain countries may apply for an e-visa through the ASAN Visa portal. Others should refer to their country’s embassy. For more information click here: https://evisa.gov.az/en/
• Iran: Tourist visas are generally required. E-visas are available for many nationalities; check the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for specific requirements. For more information click here: https://evisa.mfa.ir/en/
• Kazakhstan: Several countries are eligible for visa-free entry, while others can apply for an e-visa. For more information click here: https://www.vmp.gov.kz/en/services/visa-service
• Kyrgyz Republic: Many travelers can enjoy a 60-day visa-free regime. E-visa is also available. For more information click here: https://evisa-e-gov.kg/
• Pakistan: Visa on arrival or e-visas is available for citizens of many countries, while others need to apply in advance. For more information click here: https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/
• Tajikistan: Tourist visas are required and can often be obtained through their embassies. An e-visa option is also available. For more information click here: https://www.visa.gov.tj/index.html
• Türkiye: Many countries can enter Türkiye visa-free or apply for an e-visa online. Check if you need a visa in advance. For more information click here: www.evisa.gov.tr
• Turkmenistan: Travelers need to apply for a visa in advance. For more information click here: https://migration.gov.tm/services/wiza-we-is-rugsatnamasy-16847397661914537
• Uzbekistan: Certain nationalities can enter visa-free for a predefined duration. Others must apply for an e-visa or contact the Uzbekistan Embassy. For more information click here: https://e-visa.gov.uz

Tip: Always check official immigration websites or consult your travel agent for the most recent updates on visa requirements.

Flight and Travel Conditions

Traveling to ECO Member States is made easier with numerous airlines operating in and out of the region. You can find updates for flights to the major international airports in the ECO region via following links:

• Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport (Azerbaijan) https://airport.az/en/flights/
• Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (Iran) https://www.ikac.ir/en/flight-status-details
• Almaty International Airport (Kazakhstan) https://tavairports.com/almaty-airport
• Bishkek Airport (Kyrgyz Republic) http://www.airport.kg/schedule
• Islamabad International Airport (Pakistan) https://islamabadairport.com.pk/ 
• Dushanbe International Airport (Tajikistan) https://airport.tj/index.php/en/tablo
• Istanbul Airport (Türkiye) https://www.istairport.com/en/?locale=en
• Asghabat International Airport (Turkmenistan) https://ashgabatairport.gov.tm/online_table
• Tashkent International Airport (Uzbekistan) https://tashkent-airport.uz/

Travel Tips

• Connections: Be aware that some destinations may require connecting flights, especially from regions outside of Europe and Asia.
• Local Transport: Public transportation varies by country. In larger cities, options include taxis, ridesharing, buses, and metro systems, while more rural areas may have limited access to public transport.

Weather Conditions

The climate across ECO countries varies considerably due to diverse geographical features:

• Afghanistan: Continental climate with hot summers and cold winters.
• Azerbaijan: Mild, wet winters in coastal areas; dry, hot summers.
• Iran: Ranges from arid to temperate along the coasts; summers can be extremely hot.
• Kazakhstan: Harsh continental climate with cold winters and hot summers.
• Kyrgyz Republic: Mountainous regions experience varied weather; summers are pleasant, but winters can be harsh.
• Pakistan: Varies from tropical in the south to temperate in the north; check region-specific conditions.
• Tajikistan: Mountainous terrain; summers are warm while winters are cold.
• Türkiye: Diverse climate; coastal areas are mild, while eastern regions experience significant snowfall in winter.
• Turkmenistan: Desert climate with hot summers and mild winters.
• Uzbekistan: Continental climate with hot summers and cool winters.

Best Time to Visit: Generally, spring (April to June) and autumn (September to November) are considered ideal for most ECO region due to pleasant weather.

Other Necessary Information

• Currency: Each country has its own currency; familiarize yourself with the local currency and exchange rates. Carrying some cash is advisable as not all places accept credit cards.
• Health and Safety: Consult your healthcare provider for recommended vaccinations and health precautions before traveling. Travel insurance is also recommended.
• Local Customs: Respect local customs and traditions. Dress appropriately, especially in more conservative regions, and learn a few phrases in the local language for a better experience.
• Emergency Numbers: Familiarize yourself with local emergency numbers and the location of your country’s embassy or consulate upon arrival.

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Permission to copy any portions of these publications or post any portions of these publications on a website must be obtained in writing by contacting us.

This website was developed by the ECO Secretariat under the proect wih the title of “Development of ECO Tourism Website” and numbered T/WebsiteSSP/2021. Main goal of creation of this website is to design a user-friendly specialized ECO Tourism website as a regional tool for sharing and consolidating tourism-related information and generating business and investment opportunities for the private sector in ECO Member States for easy access to information on tourism offerings, programmes and events in ECO Member States and promotion of the region.
The portal will complement the national tourism websites by allowing a more systematic process for users to collect and view the information they are looking for.

The website has been co-designed by the Tourism Directorate and the IT Section of the ECO Secretariat for use by the tourists and the tourism professionals and agencies. The content of the website is compiled from information and documents received from the ECO Member States through diplomatic channels and their national tourism promotion portals. The ECO Secretariat is in preparation of establishing a mechanism for updating the information on the website and, as far as possible, no content other than the information and documents available in the official channels of the Member States will be hosted on this website.

ECO Tour Operators’ Network

One of the ECO Vision 2025 priorities is to strengthen the Private sector and local community involvement in the tourism activities. Tourism is a people-oriented sector and its major activities depend on human resources. The sector is underperforming in some ECO countries as tourism development often takes place without the participation of communities, leading to unsustainable projects and few economic gains for the local communities. Due to the cross-cutting nature of the tourism sector, a close coordination across various national stakeholders in the private sector including tour operators, tourism agencies, and tourism organizations is essential to reach the regional tourism objectives.

In this regard, the project titled “Tour Operators’ Network in ECO Region” was considered and approved by the 5th High Level Expert Group Meeting on Tourism and supported by 3rd ECO Ministerial Meeting on Tourism in Khujand in 2019. Henceforth, the project concept was considered at the level of ECO’s Council of Ministers (COM) where it was endorsed as part of a document set by the 24th COM on 8-9 November 2019 in Antalya, Türkiye. This project was submitted to 30th Regional Planning Council Meeting on 11-14 January 2020 in Tehran, Iran and approved by the RPC and the project became part of ECO’s Work Program since 2020.

The First Forum of the ECO Heads of Tourism Associations, Unions and other Tourism Stakeholders was hosted by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in virtual format on June 20, 2022. The Forum agreed to set up a Tour Operator Network among ECO Member States as an efficient outcome and 1st Meeting of the ECO Tour Operators’ Network (ETON) consisting of more than 350 tour operators from 8 member states was held on 22nd November, 2022 in virtual format. In 2023, the Network convened 6 more times virtually to discuss the joint tour packages among the ECO Member States and participants exchanged information about their business offerings.  

Apart from that, the 1st ECO Tour Operators Forum hosted by the Republic of Azerbaijan on 2-3 May 2024 in Baku covered panel discussions on collaboration for tourism development particularly for joint ECO tour packages and revival of Silk Road tourism, B2B meetings among tour companies and a roundtable meeting to wrap-up the outcomes of the Forum.

The list of tour operators joined ETON is as follows:

THE ECO TOUR OPERATORS’ NETWORK

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