According to the World Tourism Organization, Turkmenistan is the
seventh least visited country in the world, receiving just 7,000 visitors per year. Many travellers are deterred by the strict visa rules: tourist visas are only issued to those on guided tours; independent travellers are only given three-day transit visas. But things look set to change with Turkmenistan's current president, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, taking steps to open up the isolated country. Since taking office in 2007 he has unified the country's dual currency exchange rate and channelled a reported $1.5 billion into building a
world-class tourism zone on the Caspian Sea. “We are very proud of our country, and what it’s become in such a short time,” said our [Oasis Overland] (
http://www.oasisoverland.co.uk/) guide, Kseniya Mikhailova. “Hopefully more people can come and visit.” (Nellie Huang)