Since historic occasions, Uzbekistan has been within the heart of Great Silk Road and has an excellent historic, cultural and architectural heritage. Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva are the manufacturers of the traditional tradition of the East. The landscapes of mountains and deserts of Uzbekistan appeal to consideration and admiration of the Internet neighborhood. Therefore, the tourism potential of this nation can hardly be overestimated and the federal government is making important efforts to develop it, writes Khasanjon Majidov, Leading Researcher on the Centre for Economic Research and Reforms.
1. Explosive growth of tourism
At the start of 2016, a means of radical reform of the tourism business was launched in Uzbekistan. More than 60 rules had been adopted associated to the event of tourism business throughout the 2016-2020.
The visa regime between the nations was simplified. In 2018, Uzbekistan launched a visa-free regime for residents of 9 nations, in 2019 for residents of 47 nations, in 2020 – 2021 one other 5 nations. As of May 10, 2021, the variety of nations for residents of which a visa-free regime is granted within the Republic of Uzbekistan is 90 nations.
In addition, residents of about 80 nations have the chance to use for an digital visa in a simplified method. Five new kinds of visas have been launched for foreigners: “Compatriot”, “Student”, “Academic”, “Medicine” and “Pilgrimage”. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the simplification of the visa regime has yielded optimistic outcomes. In specific, in 2019, if the common progress within the variety of overseas vacationers was 26%, then the expansion charge among the many nations the place the visa-free regime was launched reached 58%.
The authorities took complete measures to develop tourism infrastructure. Firstly, 22 kinds of necessities regulating the actions of hostels associated to the kind of price range housing have been canceled. In specific, the process for necessary certification of lodge companies supplied by hostels has been canceled and the follow of working with a unified register of visitor homes and hostels has been launched. Secondly, so as to enhance the variety of small resorts, entrepreneurs had been supplied with 8 normal tasks of small resorts as much as 50 rooms freed from cost and this measure is developed based mostly on the expertise of Turkey and South Korea.
As a outcome, the variety of placements within the nation has elevated dramatically. In specific, from 2016 to 2020, lodging locations elevated from 750 to 1308 and the variety of visitor homes elevated 13 occasions to 1386. Their quantity is deliberate to be elevated to 2 thousand.
As a results of the reforms within the tourism sector from 2016 to 2019, the variety of vacationers elevated from 2 to7 million. The dynamics of the rise within the variety of overseas vacationers in 2019 examine to 2010 amounted to a report 592% (a rise of greater than 6 occasions). It is noteworthy that the expansion within the variety of vacationers from completely different areas occurred in several methods. For instance, the variety of guests from Central Asian nations elevated by a mean of 22-25% per yr, whereas the annual progress amongst vacationers from non-CIS nations was 50%. At the identical time, optimistic outcomes had been famous in home tourism. Compared to 2016, the variety of home vacationers in 2019 virtually doubled and amounted to 14.7 million.
2. Impact of the pandemic
It ought to be famous that as a result of restrictions imposed in opposition to the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic and the results of the worldwide disaster, the tourism business has suffered critical losses. In specific, the variety of overseas vacationers visiting Uzbekistan decreased by greater than 4.5 occasions, to 1.5 million, and the amount of vacationer companies fell to $261 million in 2020.
Taking under consideration the present scenario, the “Uzbekistan project” was developed. Safe journey assured (“Uzbekistan. Safe travel guaranteed”), which is a brand new system of sanitary and epidemiological security for vacationers based mostly on world requirements. Certification of tourism objects and associated infrastructure, tourism companies based mostly on new sanitary and hygienic necessities for all state border posts; air, railway and bus stations; objects of tangible cultural heritage, museums, theaters, and many others. To mitigate the results of the pandemic for the tourism business, the Safe Tourism Fund was fashioned on the expense of an preliminary contribution from the Anti-Crisis Fund, in addition to funds for passing voluntary certification carried out inside the framework of the “Uzbekistan. Safe journey GUARANTEED “.
Tourism gamers acquired an a variety of benefits and preferences to mitigate the impression of the coronavirus pandemic. The earnings tax charge was lowered by 50% of the established charges, they had been exempted from paying land tax and property tax of authorized entities and the social tax was set at a lowered charge of 1%. They additionally partially reimbursed curiosity bills on beforehand issued loans from industrial banks for the development of lodging services and bills for renovation, reconstruction and enlargement of the fabric and technical base. Subsidizing lodging services is supplied within the quantity of 10% of the price of lodge companies from June 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. In complete, 1,750 tourism entities acquired advantages on property tax, land and social taxes within the quantity of about 60 billion soums.
3. Diversification of instructions
In current years, Uzbekistan has been specializing in the diversification of tourism companies and the event of latest kinds of tourism. In specific, a lot consideration is paid to extend the stream of vacationers by means of MICE tourism, which is organizing numerous tournaments, conferences, conferences and exhibitions in Uzbekistan. The conventional sports activities match “Game of Heroes” in Khorezm, the “Art of Bakhchichilik” competition in Surkhandarya, the “Muynak-2019” rally in Karakalpakstan and others have been held. The authorities authorised the Action Plan for the event of MICE tourism in Uzbekistan.
Film tourism is a crucial device for shaping the nation’s picture, offering data to potential vacationers. For the event of movie tourism in Uzbekistan, a regulation has been developed on the process for reimbursing a part of the prices (“rebate”) of overseas movie firms when creating audiovisual merchandise on the territory of Uzbekistan. Moreover, overseas movie firms have launched movies reminiscent of Basilik, Khuda Hafiz and Al Safar. Last yr, overseas movie firms shot 6 function movies in Uzbekistan.
Pilgrimage tourism. In order to create particular comfort for these visiting Uzbekistan for the aim of pilgrim tourism, new necessities have been launched for resorts, a map of the nation’s mosques has been developed and posted within the cell utility. The first Pilgrimage Tourism Forum was held in Bukhara and 120 overseas company from 34 nations took half.
Medical tourism. In Uzbekistan, measures are being taken to develop medical tourism and appeal to extra vacationers to medical organizations. In 2019, the variety of overseas residents visiting Uzbekistan for medical functions exceeded 50 thousand. In reality, this quantity might be larger, since figuring out the variety of vacationers visiting personal medical clinics remains to be a troublesome activity.
