SESRIC participated in the 25^th Meeting of the COMCEC Tourism Working Group, held under the theme of “Improving the Quality and Sustainability of Heritage Tourism in OIC Countries” on 15-16 September 2025, in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye.

The meeting brought together key representatives from 17 OIC countries along with representatives from international organizations and OIC institutions, including SESRIC, as well as academics from universities and experts in heritage tourism.

The meeting sessions began with the presentation of the findings from the Tourism Outlook of OIC Countries, prepared by COMCEC Consultants. This was followed by the presentation of the draft Research Report on “Improving the Quality and Sustainability of Heritage Tourism in OIC Countries,” which highlighted key takeaways from case studies and surveys conducted in the OIC countries: Egypt, Senegal, and Türkiye, as well as the non-OIC country Italy, providing valuable insights into heritage tourism in OIC countries.

During the meeting, OIC Countries; Iran, Iraq, and Türkiye, delivered presentations sharing their experiences in developing heritage tourism destinations. The meeting concluded with a policy debate session, where delegates deliberated on the formulation of policy recommendations for the 41^st COMCEC Ministerial Session.

The Working Group (WG) mechanism serves as one of the main instruments of the COMCEC Strategy towards the realization of its objectives. The Strategy ensures active and direct involvement of the Member Country experts in the COMCEC cooperation areas, through regular WG meetings in each cooperation area. The WGs aims to produce and disseminate knowledge and share experience and good practices. They also provide a suitable platform for creating a common understanding and approximating policies among the Member Countries to overcome their common development problems.