International exhibition “Tourism and Travel” and the conference on development of cooperation in this sphere started work in Avaza National tourist zone. Representatives from 26 states Russia, China, USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, India, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan came to the forum in Turkmenistan. The biggest delegations came from neighbouring Uzbekistan and Netherlands. Opening of the exhibition in Seyrana Hotel was forestalled by musical performance by folk collectives. It was mentioned at the opening ceremony that President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov gives important role to tourism industry in social and economic development of Turkmenistan paying great attention to activation of beneficial relations, exchange of advanced practices and implementation of innovative approaches in this field. Foreign travel agencies, organizations and companies working in hotel business and other relative directions, departments of the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Tourism, dozens of private companies, hotel opened their stands at the exhibition. The exposition presents big spectrum of modern tourist services and huge capabilities of Turkmenistan in this sphere, which are based in rich historical and cultural heritage, variety of natural attractions and unique recreational resources. All of these plus modernized equipment and technical provision of the sphere, developed transport communications, high level of sanatorium and resort business in the country and finally, the best national traditions of hospitality allow organizing any tours starting from educational trips to medical, health improving and ecological tours. The conference, during which representatives of Turkmen side introduced the strategy of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on bringing of tourism industry of the country to the world level and turning of Turkmenistan into large centre of international tourism to foreign colleagues, was dedicated to perspectives of cooperation in these and other directions. Foreign participants of the forum presented their proposals, ideas and projects and confirmed growing interest in expansion and activation of relations with Turkmen partners in such promising sphere as tourism. It was mentioned that Turkmenistan becomes more popular direction for travelling and business trips attracting attention not only by the heritage of the past but by modern changes, grandiose success and colossal economic potential. Exchange of the visions allowed presenting various approaches to development of this sector as well as analysing useful developments of successful companies in the industry, considering the most exemplary samples of the partnership of Turkmenistan with foreign structures in this direction. The conference will continue the work by session on the next day. They will be held in different hotels of Avaza. One of them will be dedicated to historical and cultural heritage in the aspect of the slogan of 2018 “Turkmenistan – the Heart of the Great Silk Road”. Training of personnel, profile education, the role of innovations in tourism will be discussed in other section. Ecological tourism and its development in the country will be the subject of the third session. The forum organized by the State Committee for Tourism and Trade and Industrial Chamber is to support the promotions of the positions of Turkmenistan in the world tourism market.