Dr. Mihee Kang, GSTC Chief Assurance Officer, participated virtually as a speaker at the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Tourism Working Group Meeting, held from September 9 to 11, 2026, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The meeting brought together tourism representatives from CAREC member countries, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), development partners, international organizations, and the private sector. Held with the support of the Tourism Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, it focused on strengthening regional tourism cooperation and identifying priorities for 2026–2027.

On September 10, Dr. Kang presented “GSTC Sustainability Frameworks and Standards.” The session focused on how GSTC Standards can support national and regional sustainability programs, capacity building, and systematic improvements in tourism sustainability practices. It provided a forum to explore ways of applying best practices to advance sustainable tourism development in the region.

“Sustainable tourism can be a powerful driver of regional development when destinations work toward shared goals and a common understanding of good practice. The GSTC Standards provide a roadmap that can help countries align their efforts in sustainability,” said Dr. Mihee Kang, GSTC Chief Assurance Officer.

The wider program addressed the CAREC Tourism Strategy 2030 and next steps under the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding on CAREC Regional Tourism Development. Discussions also covered sustainable tourism and the services trade, digital readiness, tourism data, skills development, and improvements, among other topics. 

This year’s session focused on the planned upgrade of the “Visit Silk Road” web portal, the deployment of AI-powered travel tools, and the adoption of GSTC Standards across member states. Participants also explored opportunities for cross-border tourism routes, public-private cooperation, and tourism investment. 

GSTC’s participation highlighted the important role of sustainability frameworks in supporting tourism development and capacity building across the CAREC region.