Cappadocia gateway Nevsehir named Asia Cooperation Dialogue's tourism capital

The Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) has declared Nevsehir – the gateway to Turkey’s picturesque Cappadocia region – its tourism capital for 2022, the group announced on Wednesday.

During a virtual ministerial meeting based in Ankara, the Turkish capital, the group’s chairmanship, held by Turkey since September 2019, was handed over to Bahrain, said a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, and Pornchai Danvivathana, the group’s secretary general, with the online participation of its member states, the statement added.

2022 marks the group’s 20th anniversary, it said, adding: “We congratulate Nevsehir and wish her good fortune and luck.”

Cappadocia – a short drive from the transport hub of Nevsehir – is famed for its unique "fairy chimney" volcanic cones, valleys, underground cities and houses carved into rock, as well as its churches, chapels and shelters used by early Christians who were fleeing the Roman Empire.

Marking the transition to a new chair, Turkey vowed to "continue to provide active contributions to ACD’s work in the coming term."

The ACD was established as an intergovernmental forum in 2002 to develop cooperation among Asian countries and improve the competitiveness of Asia at the global level.

With 35 member countries, the forum has the highest number of attendees in Asia.

Turkey launched its Asia Anew initiative in 2019 to improve ties with Asian nations in various areas.