- 25-member delegation of 10-nation ECO will visit provincial capital from April 13 and will make a formal announcement
LAHORE: A significant global honour for Pakistan and the Punjab province as Lahore has been declared as Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO’s) Tourism Capital for the year 2027.
A 25-member delegation of the 10-nation Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) will begin its visit to Lahore from April 13 and will formally announce the declaration that Lahore will be nominated as ‘ECO’s Tourism Capital’.
Shahrisabz in Uzbekistan has already received this honour and the city of Erzurum in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey has been nominated as ‘ECO’s Tourism Capital’ for 2025. The Ambassador of the “Economic Coordination Organization” is visiting Lahore on the invitation of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are also included in the ECO, in addition to Turkiye, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
ECO selects one city from 10 member countries for this unique honour every year. Lahore is being granted this special honour against the backdrop of its rich historical, cultural and touristic heritage. The aim of this series, which began in 2019, is to highlight historical, cultural and touristic heritage and beauty of the ECO region worldwide.
The meeting of the Permanent Delegates Council of ECO, hosted by the Punjab Chief Minister will be held at the Civil Secretariat.
In addition to witnessing Mela Chiraghan, the delegation members of the ECO countries will visit other historical sites, including Walled City and Punjab Safe Cities Authority.
A luncheon will also be hosted in the honour of the ECO delegation at the Governor House.
Commenting on the development, Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Lahore receiving the honour of ‘ECO Capital Tourism’ is a great achievement.
“This step will help promote our history, culture and national heritage and the Punjab government duly welcomes”, she added.
The senior minister said that the Chief Minister wants to show historical, cultural and civilizational colours of Lahore to the world.
“Lahore being nominated as ‘ECO Tourism Capital’ will prove to be an important milestone towards promoting global tourism in the country and the province”, Marriyum expressed the hope.
