THE central Asian destination of Turkmenistan will be exhibiting at World Travel Market for the first time.
Situated between Iran, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, the country is best known for its skilled nomadic tribesmen, its deserts and famous archaeological sites such as the Parthian capital of Nisa and the desert city of Merv.
A spokeswoman for the Tourism Corporation of Turkmenistan said the country was eager to make people more aware of its other attractions, such as its mountains and its coastal region.
She said: “We will be promoting the whole of Turkmenistan, showing the beautiful places we have and the services we can offer to tourists.”
Turkmenistan has nine five-star hotels, three four-star properties and two two-star hotels plus a range of ungraded guesthouses. Some upmarket hotels in the capital, Ashgabat, have conference facilities.
A number of hoteliers plus several ground handlers will be joining the tourism corporation on its stand at WTM. They will have literature available for the trade.
“This is a great opportunity for us to present the tourist potential of Turkmenistan and increase visitors to our country,” added the spokeswoman.
She said the destination was aiming to appeal to a wide range of holidaymakers, including young travellers.