Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 9 September, a business forum took place in the capital, bringing together representatives from the tourism sector of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The forum focused on increasing tourist exchanges between the two countries, promoting Uzbekistan’s tourism potential in Vietnam, and strengthening business ties between Uzbek and Vietnamese tourism professionals.

The forum featured participants from both the public and private sectors of Uzbekistan and Vietnam, including government officials, business leaders, investors, and heads of major hotel brands and tourism companies from both countries.

It was announced at the event that direct flights operated by "Uzbekistan Airways" between Tashkent and Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam will commence on 27 October. The regular flights, operating twice a week, are expected to increase the flow of tourists from Vietnam to Uzbekistan and create favorable opportunities for citizens of third countries to reach Phu Quoc Island via Uzbekistan.

"In 2023, about 2,000 tourists from Vietnam visited Uzbekistan, and this year the number is expected to increase several times. Our bilateral relations in the tourism sector between Uzbekistan and Vietnam play a special role in this. I should note that the number of people in Vietnam wanting to explore Uzbekistan’s historical sites, rich cultural heritage, and beautiful nature is growing. This is beneficial for the bilateral exchange of tourists," said Vietnamese representative Alexander Nguyen.

"We are working on new projects aimed at significantly increasing the number of tourists coming from Vietnam to Uzbekistan and ensuring their high-quality visits, as well as developing affordable travel packages for our citizens. Last year, ‘Prestige Travel’ organized trips to Vietnam for about 10,000 Uzbeks. In addition, we brought thousands of Vietnamese tourists to our country. I emphasize again: the work being done is crucial for providing quality rest for citizens. Our company has extensive experience in this area. We paved the way for travel by opening direct flights from Uzbekistan to Egypt, Montenegro, Vietnam, and several European countries for the first time," said the founder of Prestige Travel.

During the forum, B2B meetings were held between representatives of Uzbekistan and Vietnam, where participants discussed the current state of the tourism industry and explored new opportunities for collaboration between the two countries. The forum concluded with the signing of several agreements and memorandums of understanding between Uzbek and Vietnamese tourism companies.

The Uzbek-Vietnamese Tourism Business Forum was a significant step in developing business relations between the two countries. The forum provided participants with a platform to explore new cooperation and investment opportunities. The event contributes to the promotion and development of Uzbekistan’s tourism industry, strengthening the country’s position in the global tourism market.

"In developing our country’s tourism, it is crucial to promote our potential abroad, increase the number of international flights, and attract foreign tourists in innovative ways. Therefore, bilateral open dialogues like today’s serve as a foundation for introducing several innovations. We appreciate that the number of people in Vietnam wanting to experience the tourism opportunities in our country is increasing," said Oybek Akhmedov.

This year, the number of foreign tourists visiting Uzbekistan is expected to exceed 10 million. To showcase Uzbekistan’s tourism potential to the world and increase the number of tourists coming from East Asian countries, conditions are being created for the rapid development of tourism in the country and growth in the sector. Currently, there are about 6,000 accommodation facilities in Uzbekistan, and the number of tourist accommodation places has increased to more than 160,000.