Cooperation Between the Regional Cooperation Organization for Development Member Countries to Develop Tourism

Abstract

The aim of the study is to investigate and determine the tourism works of RCD (Regional Cooperation for Development), which was established between Turkey, Pakistan and Iran in 1964. As a result of literature researches conducted in this direction, the information obtained was discussed in chronological order. Three RCD member countries are the countries with historical, cultural and geographical heritage that can be utilized in the field of tourism. Three countries have the potential to realize tourism in various field. The increase in international tourism demand and the low cost of developing tourism compared to other fields encourages developing countries to develop international tourism. In the 1960s, it is seen that RCD member countries also made an effort to increase touristic activity within the RCD region and to attract tourists from outside the region. With the establishment of the RCD in 1964, the committees gathered on the issue of developing and expanding tourism in the region, a work process was initiated in which it was discussed in detail at the Planning Organization and the Council of Ministers meetings. At the first Council of Ministers meeting in Tehran in October 1964, it was decided that the three countries would sign a tourism agreement and abolish mutual visas. It was stated that the purpose of this meeting was to enable easy travel in the region and bring the people of the three countries closer to each other. In the following meetings, decisions such as the opening of tourist bureaus by member countries, inviting travel writers and representatives of travel agencies from other countries, ensuring that the road and traffic signs of the three countries would comply with the UN rules were taken. Implementation works such as bringing the customs law into compliance with the UN Convention, simplifying the baggage inspection rules, opening fairs and exhibitions to promote tourism, participation in cultural events and making tourism propaganda were initiated. Arrangements such as facilitating the investments that a country wants to make in the other two countries, joint preparation of publications for tourism purposes and joint investments in the field of tourism were made. Efforts were made to encourage young people to take touristic trips in the region. However, in the following process, it is seen that studies were initiated to go out of the region tourism and open the region to world tourism. For this, the studies to determine the tourism potential of the whole region and to evaluate the existing potential were initiated. By 1970, it was decided that the RCD secretariat should have investigated the possibilities of providing financial and technical assistance from a suitable one of the UN Members in order to conduct a tourism research within the scope of the regional plot principles. In this way, studies were carried out between the three countries within the scope of the RCD.