Specialists of travel and hospitality industry from about 20 countries of different continents, notably the USA, Japan, China, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and others, took part in the international conference “Tourism – an ambassador of peace and the basis of relations” which was in held in Mary city. Organized in the frames of Measures Program in honour of announcing 2015 the year of neutrality and peace, the forum was devoted to the strategic goals and tasks of the Turkmenistan’s tourism industry development in the light of its peacemaking policy and intensification of international cooperation via tourism and expansion of business contacts. In the forum opening speeches in the conference hall of the hotel “Mary”, the importance and actuality of the event has been stressed for promoting enrichment and advancement of cooperation between Turkmenistan and foreign countries, exchange of experience and latest developments in the global travel industry. Modernization of its economic and social infrastructure, careful and rational use of natural-historical, cultural resources as a substantial potential of tourism industry, formation of attractive tourist appeal of the country in the world arena were outlined as main tasks in the sector. The main goal of the present international conference is to strengthen and broaden partnership-based relations, facilitate successful introduction of innovative approaches and developments to the local and world practice, assertion of Turkmenistan as a new attractive centre on the map of international tourism. Foreign participants of the conference in their papers gave an extensive coverage of the sector’s basic issues: from interaction within the framework of the World Tourism Organization to the detailed segmentation of consumer demands for travels to Turkmenistan, organization of joint projects and programs as well as cooperation in the professional education. In particular, the detailed reports were delivered at the forum by the UN World Tourism Organization Coordinator for European Program Bek Jakeli, representatives of Travel Agencies Association of Japan “JATA” and Turkish Agency for Cooperation and Development under the Prime Minister of the republic of Turkey, the heads of core ministries of Kyrgyz Republic, Bulgaria, and Romania, Tourism and Sports Academy of Czech Republic, Institute of Tourism Technologies of Russian Federation, Poltavski Trade-Economic University of Ukraine, as well as private tourism companies, advertising and marketing firms, etc. The comprehensive information of representatives of Turkmenistan’s National Committee for UNESCO Affairs, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan, specialists of the museum science evoked a great interest of foreign delegates. In the course of opinions exchange, different approaches were generated to the sector development policies, as well as successful experience in the industry was demonstrated by way of most illustrative examples of partnership-based cooperation including the ones from the national practice. Within the framework of the conference, consideration was also given to such topics, as the role of historical researches in unleashing the travel industry’s potential, the trends of the sector’s infrastructure development, and new approaches to the travel services sphere. Organization of bilateral talks to concretize the ways and forms of partnership was also envisaged. Participants of the forum visited the Museum of History and Local Lore of Mary velayat, the historical and cultural reserve “Ancient Merv” and sanatorium “Bairamaly”, Mary velayat library. Especially for the forum guests, a colourful performance with participation of leading soloists and folklore ethnographic groups and a get-acquainted tour to the places of interest of the Turkic World capital-2015 were organized.