Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - Today, on 5 November 2021, a press conference was held on the topic "Increasing the tourism potential in our country, execution of decrees and decisions adopted by the President of our country." The event was attended by officials of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan, experts in the field of tourism and representatives of the media.

The agenda of the press conference covered the following issues: 

1. Work carried out in the Republic to create new jobs through the further development of domestic and pilgrim tourism;

2. Conditions created in the field of tourism to support business and youth in the field of tourism, promising start-up projects and innovative business ideas;

3. Current procedures to increase the flow of foreign tourists to the country

4. Performed tasks for the protection of cultural heritage sites, their reconstruction, organization of protection;

5. Questions of training personnel in the field of tourism

Speaking at the conference, First Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports Ulugbek Azamov noted that, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Government took a number of measures to develop the tourism industry and reduce the negative impact of problems in the tourism sector.

Considering that this is one of the areas most affected by the pandemic in the world, 260,000 jobs, 1,400 tourism organizations and 1,360 accommodation facilities have been created in the country. To support the activities of guide-translators, tourist enterprises and specialists in the field, loans, tax incentives in the amount of 2 million 200 thousand were provided.

In particular, 6.5 billion soums were allocated to support the tourism business in the first nine months of this year. The amount was allocated from the state budget.

In addition, to support entrepreneurs, 44 billion soums were allocated to 12 investors who opened a new hotel, where one of them received a subsidy of US$52,400 for partial financing based on a franchise agreement.

The competition “Tourism. The path to innovation” among young people offering promising start-up projects and innovative business ideas to the tourism industry. At the end of the competition, 12 winners were awarded 1 billion 500 million soums of grant funds. These projects will be fully implemented in 2022-2023.

In connection with the interest of the local population in the sphere, new types of entrepreneurial activities have been organized.

From January to September 2021, 105 new hotels were launched (the total number of accommodation facilities is 1 361 units, the number of rooms is 31 388 and the number of seats is 66 904 units), 1 001 family guest houses (total number of 2 365 units), 144 hostels (total number 301), 90 tourism enterprises (total number 1 434 units). 1015 sanitary and hygienic departments were built and repaired.

In order to provide employment in the tourism industry, great importance is attached to domestic tourism and attracting the population to travel.

Tour operators and travel agents are provided with subsidies of 15% on air and train tickets for organizing tours throughout Uzbekistan for local tourists, as well as 10% on accommodation facilities. As of 1 October, 4.8 billion soums were sent for these purposes.

In 2021, the “Domestic Tourism Month”, “Domestic Tourism Week” and “Domestic Tourism Days” were organized, within the framework of which additional seasonal discounts are introduced, as well as when organizing group trips, groups such as “community of neighbors”, “youth community” and "Labor community".

For 9 months, together with local authorities and ministries, departments, organizations, tours of more than 3 million 700 thousand compatriots have been organized on a regular basis.

As a result of practical work carried out to restore the tourism sector, 1 million dollars were allocated in the country over 9 months. About 200 thousand (1 135 621) foreign tourists visited the country, and the export of tourism services amounted to US$273 million. According to the analysis, in 2021 Uzbekistan from some countries of Western Europe, America and the CIS exceeded the expected number of tourists. Due to the restriction in countries such as Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea), the flow of tourists was low.

At the initiative of regional investment programs and business entities in 2021, 318 projects were implemented in the field of tourism and sports for a total amount of 1 trillion. 84 billion, resulting in 2,954 new jobs.

The work on the creation of tourist and recreational zones in territories with high tourist potential has been accelerated, measures are being taken to attract an additional 150 million soums to the industry in 2021-2022. investment funds.

Within the framework of the resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On additional measures for the implementation of the programs" Obod kishlok "and" Obod makhalla", the allocation of 1.0 trillion soums (including 500.0 billion soums from the state budget and 500.0 billion soums from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development) to improve infrastructure in the field of tourism and cultural heritage sites.

To date, allocated 800.0 billion soums (80%) of 1.0 trillion. soums, design estimates in the amount of 556.5 billion soums were included in financial institutions. Of these, 377.4 billion soums were directed to finance work at the facilities. Including,

- On the eve of the International Cultural Forum "Central Asia at the Crossroads of World Civilizations" in Khiva, 192.0 billion soums (99 objects) were allocated for construction and installation work and landscaping;

- 76.5 billion soums for road repair, for sewage works - 10.3 billion soums. soums (120 items); 

- 98.6 billion soums to finance other projects. 

Today, the system of professional and higher education trains personnel for the tourism industry. More than 6200 students study in 25 universities and about 3500 students study in 24 vocational schools specialized in training personnel in the field of tourism.

Based on the needs of the labor market, the directions “Travel Journalism”, “Creative Industry”, “Smart Tourism”, “Management of Cultural Heritage”, “Museum Business” have been created. Also, a research institute "Civilization of the Silk Road" is being created at the university to study our history and cultural heritage.

In order to ensure the future employment of graduates, cooperation has been established between this higher educational institution and the Samarkand Tourism Center. In 2022-2023, 10 facilities, including a congress hall, hotels and recreation areas, will be created and put into operation in the Center, erected in the Samarkand region with an area of 212 hectares. To provide services in these tourist and service complexes, 2,000 qualified specialists are needed.

In 2022, 3080 graduates of educational institutions in the field of tourism are expected to graduate. At the same time, 636 accommodation facilities (including 500 family guest houses, 26 hostels), 80 tourist organizations will be re-launched in 2022 and an additional 4.5 thousand jobs will be created.

According to the analysis, as a result of the launch of medium-sized investment projects, more than 4,000 jobs will be created annually. Jobs created through sustainable tourism development will be filled by tourism graduates.

In order to employ graduates of universities and colleges in the field of tourism, the Travel-jobs.uz website (platform) was also launched. this framework contributes to establishing direct contact between the employer and graduates.