Azerbaijani president orders action plan to elevate Shusha as ECO’s 2026 Tourism Capital

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has issued an Order, outlining measures related to the designation of the city of Shusha as the Tourism Capital of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) for the year 2026.

The Order was published on the official website of the president, Caliber.Az reports.

Under the document, the Cabinet of Ministers has been instructed to develop and execute a comprehensive action plan aimed at facilitating the city’s transformation and enhancing its readiness to host large-scale international tourism and cultural initiatives in line with its new status.

The decision to elect the city of Shusha as the Tourism Capital of the Economic Cooperation Organization for the year 2026 was unanimously adopted during the 5th Meeting of Tourism Ministers of ECO member states, held in Ardabil, Iran, and formally recognized in the concluding Ardabil Statement.

ECO, a regional intergovernmental organization, consists of ten member countries—Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran. The organization is dedicated to fostering enhanced economic, trade, and development cooperation among its members.

Shusha, widely celebrated for its natural beauty and rich historical heritage, is increasingly emerging as a key destination for international travelers. Nestled in the scenic expanse of the Karabakh region, the city boasts such natural landmarks as the Jidir Plain and Isa Spring, alongside prominent architectural and cultural treasures including the Govhar Agha Mosque, the mausoleum of poet Molla Panah Vagif, the historic Natavan Residence, and the palace of Panah Ali Khan.

In May 2021, President Ilham Aliyev declared Shusha the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, less than a year after the city's liberation from nearly three decades of Armenian occupation in November 2020. 

By Vafa Guliyeva