<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">The Meeting of Heads of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tourism Administrations under the Chairmanship of India was held in Varanasi on Friday. The meeting was chaired by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy. 'Kashi' has been declared as the First Tourism and Cultural Capital of SCO. This recognition will bring the city to a greater prominence in the global tourist map.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">The SCO Tourism Ministers finalised and approved the Joint Action Plan prepared for implementing the Agreement between the Governments of the SCO Member States on the Development of Cooperation in Tourism. As per the agreed Joint Action Plan, the member countries will undertake various activities such as SCO tourism exhibition, SCO Food Festival, Webinar and Seminar on tourism, conference and expert session on promotion and development of tourism in the region.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">The meeting also adopted the Action Plan for 'Year of Tourism Development in the SCO Space in 2023'. This document identified a list of activities and events aim to promote and showcase Tourism products of SCO member States. A Joint Statement by the Head of the Tourism Administrations of the SCO member countries was also issued post the meeting. The next meeting of the SCO Heads of Tourism Administrations will be held in Kazakhstan in 2024.</span></p>