The main topic on the agenda of the Turkmen president's visit to Turkey, which is the second in the last two years, will be tourism. The Turkmen government which is working to create a tourism area in Avaza, located on the east side of the Caspian Sea, has previously called for Turkish construction firms to invest in the region. The inauguration ceremony of five five-star hotels constructed by four Turkish firms in the region was held in June with the attendance of Ertuğrul Günay, the Turkish minister of culture and tourism. Turkmenistan, which is planning for work on the tourism area to be completed and to be able to begin operations in full by 2011, seeks the support of Turkish tourism firms. In this regard, the Turkish Association of Travel Agents (TÜRSAB) will provide training to Turkmen tourism firms.
Berdimuhammedov will be in Antalya on Aug. 27, following his visit to Bulgaria. President Gül, who has visited Turkmenistan two times in the last two years, lays great importance on the enhancement of Turkey's relations with Central Asian countries. After negotiations took place last year in Ankara between the Turkish and Turkmen presidents, Berdimuhammedov said the relations between his country and Turkey were in a golden era.
The project to create a tourism zone in Avaza consists of the construction of holiday and leisure facilities on a 7,500 hectare plot in three stages. In the first stage, Turkmenistan aims to invest some $4 billion in construction. The first stage was launched at the end of 2007. Around 40 foreign companies were interested in the first stage of the project, and Turkish companies undertook the majority of the construction work.
