Tourism - The tourism potential of Central Asia, including Uzbekistan has a huge investment opportunity. More than thousands of historical and cultural objects are on the focus of global tourism destinations in the region

The tourism potential of Uzbekistan has a huge investment opportunity. There are 9608 cultural objects in the republic. So, more than 7,300 of them are objects of ancient architecture and archaeological sites, among which more than 200 are included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. Most of them are in Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Shakhrisabz, Termez, Kokand, and Tashkent.

The most ancient cities of Uzbekistan are more than 2750 years old. Samarkand is the same age as Rome and is one of the oldest cities in the world.

One of the first five latitudinal stations in the world is in the observatory of Kitab's city, on the banks of the Kashkadarya River. Since 2010, the Kitab team at ORI- 40 began searching for dangerous near-Earth asteroids.

Highest point: Hissar ridge (4 643 m above sea level). Lowest point: Mynbulak depression (-12.8 m below sea level)

At present, the National System of Protected Natural Areas includes eight reserves, two natural and one national park, one biosphere reserve, seven natural monuments, three natural nurseries, 12 reserves, more than 25 water protection zones, coastal strips, and zones of formation of groundwater, 73 forestry enterprises, and five state forestry farms. The total area of ​​protected natural areas is about 5% of the country's size. The system of protected natural areas covers about 3.5% of desert ecosystems, about 3.0% of floodplain forests, and 14% of mountain ecosystems.

A visa-free regime was established in 17 countries. The electronic system also allows guests from 51 countries to receive simplified electronic visas through the e-visawebsite.Gov.uz; more than 10,000 e-visas have also been issued since the launch of this service.

Investment Opportunities

• Exports of tourism services for eight months amounted to 666.9 million US dollars, more than twice as compared to the same period in 2017 (327.3 million US dollars).
• For eight months of 2018, the number of foreign visitors amounted to 3.4 million people. against 1.5 million people. (+ 226%) for the same period of 2017. It is forecasted that the number of foreign citizens visiting Uzbekistan by the end of the year will amount to 4.8 million people
• The publication of materials about Uzbekistan in foreign media of 40 countries was ensured, information tours were organized for representatives of about 50 foreign media outlets from more than 20 countries. Only the Chinese TV channel CCTV plot- about 150 million people watched seven about gastronomic tourism in Uzbekistan.
• Uzbekistan immediately ranks second after South Korea. In the Lonely Planet rating, our country is ahead of such traditional and "promoted" countries like Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, and Indonesia.
• Uzbekistan entered the top five countries in the CIS in the ranking of popular countries for gastronomic tourism.
• Uzbekistan ranks 2nd in the world in the ranking of safe countries
• At the Presidential level, special attention is paid to the modernization of the tourism industry, the development, and improvement of the regulatory framework for the sustainable development of the industry, the organization of services for foreign guests by international standards
• Also, free tourist zones (FEZ), free economic zones (FEZ) have been created where considerable benefits (tax, customs) are provided.
• The issuance of an electronic visa for foreign tourists has been simplified and implemented.
• The UzbekistanPass (UzPass) mobile application is a unique travel service for those who wish to know Uzbekistan better, get in touch with its diverse history, see all its beauty, and at the same time spend their journey conveniently, comfortably, and economically ( iOS, Android ).
• Twenty-two requirements for the organization of hostels were canceled, the possibility of accommodating foreign tourists in private apartments was also created, and a simplified procedure for organizing family guest houses was approved with the abolition of certification requirements.
• The terms of consideration of licensing documents were reduced from 15 working days to 10 working days, as a result of which 183 new tour operators began their activities in 8 months 2018; for comparison, by 2017, a total of 128 tour operators were functioning.

Growth factors

The critical factors for tourism in the next decade are better infrastructure, targeted marketing and promotion efforts, liberalization of air transport, the growth of online travel portals,

From July 15, 2018, you can enter the territory of Uzbekistan using an electronic visa, which will allow you to stay in the country for up to 30 days. It is valid for 90 days from the date of issue.

A presidential decree established a visa-free procedure for entry, temporary stay, and departure from the Republic of Uzbekistan through checkpoints for citizens of 101 states in transit through the territory of the republic at international airports of the country for a period of no more than five days if they have an air ticket to the third country of the carrier.

In the Republic of Uzbekistan, excellent conditions have been created for recreation and the development of various types of tourism, for example, cultural, educational, natural, ecological, sports, water, and rural.