Restoration and dynamic development
The events taking place in the global economy in recent years have had a negative impact on the tourism sector. In 2020, due to the restrictions associated with the pandemic, the volume of tourism services at the global level decreased by 75% and, according to forecasts, the number of international tourists will reach the pre-pandemic level only by 2024.
Stabilization of tourist flows
In Uzbekistan, as a result of the measures taken to stabilize the industry and further develop tourism, this sphere was able to quickly restore its previous level. If in 2021 the number of local tourists amounted to 4.6 million people, then as of 2022, 11.4 million local residents have already traveled around the country.
In 2022, more than 5.2 million foreign tourists visited Uzbekistan (in 2017 — 2.69 million). This is 2.9 times more than in 2021 (1.8 million) and 2.5 million more than the planned (2.7 million) for 2022. In 2022, the volume of exports of tourist services exceeded $1.61 billion. This figure in 2021 was equal to $296.4 million, and in 2019 — $951 million, in 2017 — $1.55 billion.
The stay of the guests who came to our country increased on average to 4-5 days, and their expenses up to $305. And in 2019, this figure averaged 3 days and $195, respectively. Over the past 3 years, the number of hotel beds has increased 3 times and reached almost 125 thousand. In 2017, this figure was 37 thousand.
Measures taken
These figures are the result of a lot of attention paid to the development of tourism in Uzbekistan. In particular, measures were taken to widely introduce the infrastructure of “barrier-free tourism” in the main tourist cities of the republic, our country was completely open to foreign travel, all travel restrictions were lifted.
In particular, the issuance of visas to tourists has been radically liberalized, queues and unnecessary checks at airports have been eliminated, “green corridors” and favorable conditions at train stations have been created, a system of electronic registration of guests has been established, all conditions for their free movement have been created. Restrictions on currency exchange have been lifted.
In the development of domestic tourism, special attention is paid to the organization of systematic trips of the population. The rates of social tax and turnover tax for tourism enterprises are set at 1%, the rates of land tax and property tax are reduced by 90%.
Within the framework of Uzbekistan’s chairmanship in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, large-scale work related to the tourism sector was carried out in preparation for the Samarkand SCO summit. The city of Samarkand is becoming a world-famous metropolis, an international center of tourism and business. A new Tourist Center and Samarkand Airport were launched in this city, as well as 8 hotels, a congress hall, a park and other recreation and entertainment complexes were established. All restrictions on flights and routes of foreign airlines have been lifted at the Samarkand airport. This has increased the importance of Samarkand as the “New Gateway of Tourism”, the “Business Card” of the New Uzbekistan.
Tourist infrastructure in development
There was a positive result in the organization of tourist services in 135 makhallas on the territory of 28 districts (cities) of the republic. In particular, 1,841 tourist facilities have been established, including 36 hotels, 60 hostels, 512 guest houses, 174 yurts, 190 handicraft centers, 37 zones of mountain tourism and 37 beach tourism, 5 points of desert tourism, 376 restaurants and cafes, 164 transport service enterprises, 14 hunting tourism facilities and 95 pilgrimage tourism, provision of 141 tourism-related services.
In the republic, 884 sanitary and hygienic points have been built and repaired at tourist sites, gas stations for all types of cars, roadsides and in densely populated places. The level of provision of sanitary and hygienic points of 4,009 gas stations in the country has reached 96.9% (3,885 gas stations are provided with sanitary and hygienic points).
Based on the analysis of the dynamics of the flow of tourists in the context of foreign countries, new tourist routes were developed for tourists from more than 40 countries with a high potential for outbound tourism. As part of the “Travel to Uzbekistan!” program, a special Cashback system has been launched since September 2022 to reimburse part of the costs of domestic travel. The possibility of obtaining a license for tourism activities and qualification certificates for master restorers through electronic public services has been created.
Special attention is paid to pilgrimage tourism
Standards of requirements for tourist services for pilgrimage tourism have been developed. Prayer rooms and ablution rooms were organized at international airports, railway stations and hotels. Halal, Kosher and Vegan standards are being introduced in catering establishments, restaurants and tourist accommodation facilities for pilgrimage tourism.
In accordance with the state program “Year of Ensuring Human Interests and Development of the Makhalla” in November last year in our country (in the cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Tashkent), the “International Week of Pilgrimage Tourism” was held. The opening ceremony in Samarkand was attended by a number of international organizations, influential figures of the Islamic world, representatives of pilgrimage tourism of foreign countries. As a result of the implemented measures, Uzbekistan rose from 32nd place in 2017 to 9th place in 2022 in the Global Muslim Tourism Index (GMTI) report.
At the Global Halal in Travel Awards Summit held in Singapore on the revival and development of the tourist market of the Muslim world, the city of Samarkand was recognized as the winner in the nominations “The Best Place of the Year of Islamic Heritage” and “The Best Developing Muslim City in the World”. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has declared the city of Khiva the tourist capital of the Islamic world in 2024. Also, within the framework of the SCO Samarkand Summit, 2023 was declared the Year of Tourism Development in the SCO space. The city of Shakhrisabz will become the tourist capital of the Economic Cooperation Organization in 2024.
Prospects of tourism development
It is already becoming generally recognized that the potential of Uzbekistan in the field of tourism is huge and the necessary conditions for its implementation have already been created. Promising measures have also been identified for the further development of this industry, which plays an important role in the country’s economy.
According to plans, 7 million foreign tourists will arrive in the country in 2023 and 12 million domestic tourists will be attracted, the export of tourist services will amount to $2 billion. At the same time, 170 hotels, 58 hostels, 273 accommodation facilities will be created, and their total number will be 1944. Four hundred ten new family guest houses will be created in remote areas of our republic. Thanks to this, residents of remote mountainous and foothill areas will have the opportunity to organize self-employment and have a permanent source of income. It is also planned to establish the activities of 80 tourism enterprises, create a total of 200 thousand jobs in the field of tourism and related industries.
It is also planned to reach an agreement with foreign airlines and launch at least 10 international flights per day to Samarkand and at least 1 flight per day to the Fergana Valley, Nukus, Urgench and Termez from Europe, Asia, America, Arab States and neighboring states. In order to attract foreign airlines to carry out regular flights, the II International Uzbekistan Airports, Aviation & Logistics Forum will be organized in Samarkand.
As a result of the purchase by Uzbekistan Airways of 12 Airbus A 320 aircraft and Airbus H 145 helicopters, the number of flights to Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Arab countries, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan and neighboring republics with a high potential for pilgrimage tourism will be increased. The number of flights of the Hungarian airline Wizz Air, which started flights to Samarkand from Abu Dhabi, will be increased from 2023 to at least 4 times a week, and measures will also be taken to launch flights to European countries such as Hungary, Romania, Italy and Cyprus.
Each region is developing a project to organize its own “tourist ring” to attract domestic and foreign tourists. At the same time, up to $20 million will be allocated to the best projects on a competitive basis. It is also planned to open a credit line for the development of tourist services in the amount of $100 million and attract another $100 million for lending in 2023 by the end of 2022.
It is planned to build additional tourist zones and recreation areas in Zaamin, Farish, Bakhmal districts and the Aidar-Arnasai lake system, implement projects worth $300 million, create 25 thousand jobs.
In order to develop “safari” tourism in the steppe regions of Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Surkhandarya, Ferghana and Khorezm regions, a proposal was put forward to reduce duties on all-terrain vehicles.
Practical work is also underway to develop a separate ecotourism development program in Karakalpakstan and the Aral Sea region. It provides for extensive use of the potential of the new Muynak airport, the creation of road and communal services, communications, infrastructure and additional services for tourists in ecotourism regions, as well as conditions for the organization of tourism facilities and recreation areas on the banks of the Amu Darya, places for cultural recreation of young people in the framework of ecotourism in Takhtakupyr district.
Detailed planning of beach areas in lakes such as Akchakul, Ashshi, Zikri, Aidarkul, Tuzkon and Tudakul, located on the territory of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, Navoi and Jizzakh regions, as well as the development and implementation of master plan projects for the creation of a museum-monument “Amir Temur Tugilgan Maskan” in the village of Khoja Ilgor in Yakkabag district.
The “Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan for 2022-2026” provides for the creation of medical clusters in Namangan, Ferghana, Syrdarya, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Tashkent regions and the city of Tashkent, which in turn will serve the development of medical tourism.
Tourist popularity of Uzbekistan
In 2022, large-scale work was also carried out to popularize the attractiveness of Uzbekistan for tourists. In such authoritative publications as the American Time magazine, the online travel guides Lemming, Forbes Advisor and The New York Times, the famous British magazine British Muslim Magazine, the online editions Independent, Rough Sides, Dorling Kindersley, Times Travel and Lonely Planet, the Russian edition “Kursiv” published and presented to the world community positive articles about the tourism potential and opportunities of Uzbekistan.
Thanks to this, the 25th anniversary session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization will be held in Samarkand. Within the framework of the session, more than 20 events will be organized at the international level and the Silk Road Prize in the field of tourism will be established.
At the same time, the national exhibition, recently held at the famous Louvre Museum in France, shows how much interest abroad is in the unique historical heritage, rich culture and traditions of our people. In 2023, measures will be taken to organize museum fairs and expositions in Europe, Southeast Asia and America, as well as in the Louvre Museum. A separate program will be implemented to further familiarize the youth of the country and foreign tourists with the unique historical and cultural treasures of our land, the development of museums in accordance with modern requirements.
Conclusions and suggestions
In recent years, at the initiative of the President of our country, special attention has been paid to the development of tourism, the necessary measures are being implemented for the effective use of existing opportunities and potential. It is worth noting that thanks to a well-chosen strategy, tourism in Uzbekistan has become one of the “points of growth” of the national economy, since due to the high multiplier effect on related industries it serves to increase the incomes of citizens and is an important factor in creating new jobs. It should be noted that on average 30% of income in the tourism sector goes into the hands of residents in the form of wages. Therefore, it is advisable that the khokims of regions, districts and cities, together with entrepreneurs, increase the number of tourist zones.
The ongoing work on the development of tourism in our country will have a positive impact on the rapid development of the industry in the coming years. Thanks to this, Uzbekistan will become one of the centers of world tourism, and additional opportunities will be created to increase the share of tourism in the gross domestic product and revenues of local budgets, in providing employment, improving the level and quality of life of the population.
Uzbekistan is a country with great potential in the field of tourism. Taking advantage of the unique nature of our country and wonderful places to relax, you can discover new tourist destinations and products. With the active involvement of world brands in this area, special attention can be paid to the development of pilgrimage, health, ecological, educational, ethnographic, gastronomic tourism and other areas of this industry.
The transfer of regular flights of foreign countries from Tashkent to the main tourist cities of our country, in particular to the city of Samarkand, will significantly reduce the time needed to get to tourist attractions. The revision of all restrictions in the field of tourism and the development of appropriate proposals will contribute to the development of “barrier-free tourism”.
Afzal Artikov,
Asror Nigmanov,
Center for Economic Research and Reforms under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan