Cooperation Agreement

between tourist industry enterprises and professional associations, as well as other organizations engaging in tourist activities in SCO member countries and dialogue partner countries

1. Cooperation goals.

Organizations that are a part of this Agreement (hereinafter "Signatories") will jointly create modern and innovative forms of sustained practical cooperation, including digital forms, in the following fields:

- Implementation of tourism development initiatives: Practical implementation of the Agreement between Shanghai Cooperation Organization member country governments for the development of tourism cooperation (dated September 16, 2022), the Program for the development of tourism cooperation between SCO member countries (Tashkent, June 24, 2016), SCO Annual Joint Action Plans for tourism, and other related SCO document;

- Strengthening the international business community: Forming and maintaining stable working relationships with international colleagues, expanding information exchange on products, services, standards, and technologies, and sharing analytical and other relevant data. Enhancing mutual trust and business reputation, developing business practices and etiquette, and protecting the reputation, legal rights, and international market prestige of all members;

- Joint project activities: Jointly organizing events and marketing campaigns, collaborating on promotion and branding, and improving competency and qualifications for working with different national markets. The Signatories will also exchange experience, implement mutually beneficial joint projects, deepen interaction with relevant tourism authorities in international cooperation, and participate in national and international programs;

- Strengthening international consensus on professional issues: Coordinating and consolidating general issues and proposals from tourism industry officials for consideration at international and national levels, and confirming joint actions to achieve tourism development goals within the SCO.

2. Cooperation and interaction principles.

Signatories maintain the principles of equal rights in business dealings with one another, discussion and confirmation of opinions and decisions, participation in joint events, formulation of general documentation. Signatories ensure mutual respect for the cultures and traditions of the participating countries, mutual respect, enforcement of international and national legislations, care for the natural and cultural heritage of all countries.

Signatories dismiss all practices of bad faith commercial activities leading to deception of business partners or tourists, information manipulation or concealment, disregard for contractual obligations and social responsibilities. Signatories assist in promoting mutual understanding and interactions with state institutions in the realm of tourism to support general project activities, hold events, organize business missions, discuss issues of market regulation.

Agreement Signatories are not limited in selecting potential ways of cooperation and related Projects. The cooperation and Projects of the Signatories envision joint formulation of suggestions to inform tourism departments and mediate relevant issues within the SCO International Tourism Forum “Silk Road Countries United by Tourism. Professional Dialogue” and at other events. The stipulations of the Agreement do not govern the execution of joint activities that results in the creation of intellectual or property rights and economic benefits. This kind of joint activities is completed within the framework of Projects in accordance with the agreements of the Signatories. The present Agreement does not constitute a mechanism of state coordination or managing the activities of the Signatories. Each Signatory is free in selecting their development strategy, partners, and trade policy. The present Agreement does not constitute an international treaty, does not create rights or obligations stipulated by international law, does not create any financial obligations for its Signatories and is implemented in each country in accordance with the relevant national legislation.

The present Agreement is open for any organization that is in agreement with its text and is registered within SCO member countries or SCO dialogue partners.

3. Formulation and implementation of joint Projects.

Joint Projects are formulated by the Signatories through formal documents that are in line with the legislation and practices of SCO member countries. Signatories are independent in implementing Projects, allocating resources to Projects, and obtaining results in the form of intellectual property, as well as property and other rights.

The implementation of any given Project is governed by the Project documentation. All Project related questions are discussed and resolved by the Project partners, these include questions relating to allocating resources and obtaining intellectual property and other rights. Project partners can jointly draft applications for grants and other assistance from national and international organizations.

Each Project in its implementation follows the goals and objectives laid out in the Program for developing cooperation between SCO member countries and other SCO sponsored documents that promote the development of tourism.

4. Coordination between Signatories and guaranteeing Agreement implementation.

Coordination and enhanced cooperation between Signatories are made possible through a democratic platform of the Executive Council. The Executive Council formulates the general rules for organizing and implementing Projects, organizing current contacts, as well as adding new Signatories to the Agreement and revising the text of the Agreement. Signatories maintain mutual cooperation, ensuring reasonable and timely communication within the parameters set by the decisions of the Executive Council. Signatories inform one another on current contact info for managing staff and officers responsible for interactions with employees, as well as preferable channels of communication, social media and messenger app accounts.

Each Signatory can submit a candidate for participating in the work of the Executive Council. Members of the Executive Council elect a Chairperson based on whomever proves to be the most capable person with experience in formulating and implementing state policy in the field of tourism and with great renown among SCO member countries and SCO dialogue partners. All Executive Council decisions are accepted by a simple majority of votes. No quorum or minimal number of participating Signatories are required for the Executive Council to pass any decision. Members of the Executive Council work on a pro bono basis. Members use platforms supported by the Executive Council to exchange contact info and messages, network, organize online conferences and marketing events. Tourism associations and organizations coordinate and ensure conditions and mechanisms are in place to provide information about contact info, offers, and products of their members and partners, as well as promote the participation of the latter in general events.

The relevant Signatory sends event and project invitations to all Agreement Signatories via the Executive Council. The Executive Council maintains a general Event plan based around the events stipulated by SCO documentation.

5. Validity period, joining the Agreement, and withdrawing from Agreement.

The present Agreement is in effect starting from the date when it is signed by the first two Signatories (including via exchange of signed documents e-copies) and does not have a termination date. The Agreement can be terminated once the number of Signatories reaches a single party. Termination of the Agreement does not impact the implementation of Projects by former Signatories provided that the Signatories have not included stipulations to the contrary in the documentation of the Projects.

The first Agreement Signatories form the Executive Council that passes the regulations for the accession and withdrawal of Agreement Signatories and maintains Protocols on accession and withdrawal from the Agreement.

The Agreement and the documents governing its implementation are provided in Russian, Chinese, and English.