Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Experts from the Institute of Macroeconomic and Regional Research (IMRI) analyzed the main results in the tourism sector of Uzbekistan for 10 months (January-October) 2023.

Over the 10 months of 2023, the number of foreign tourists arriving in Uzbekistan reached 4.9 million people. It should be noted that over the past three years, the flow of these tourists has increased almost 3 times, despite the fact that in 2021 their number amounted to 1.8 million people.

In 2023, Uzbekistan was included in the list of the 50 best tourist destinations in the world according to the American online guide Travel Lemming and took 9th place. The guide highlights new destinations and unique places around the world every year and reaches a readership of more than 6 million travelers.

Exports of tourism services for 10 months of 2023 amounted to US$1.83 billion compared to US$1.04 billion in 2018. In 2023, a significant increase in the total number of tourists is expected, due to which the export of tourism services will reach US$2 billion.

Uzbekistan has a visa-free regime for 91 countries of the world. For comparison, in Kazakhstan – for 26 countries, Turkey – for 41 countries, Georgia – for 56 countries.

The results of reforms implemented in the tourism sector indicate the great potential of the industry, in particular, attention is paid to increasing the number of infrastructure facilities and developing the potential of domestic tourism.

IMRI experts conducted an online survey to assess the state of domestic tourism in Uzbekistan. A total of 1,282 respondents from all regions took part in it. As the results showed, almost 50% of all tourist trips throughout the country are made to 4 regions, in particular, residents of the country more often travel to Tashkent (11.4%), Tashkent region (10.6%), Bukhara (9. 4%), as well as in Samarkand (5.8%).

Also, 81.2% of respondents noted that they travel independently, 15.5% - organized from their place of work, 2.4% - through tour operators, 56.8% - by private car and 17.3% - by train.

Thus, in order to further develop domestic tourism, we consider the following appropriate:

- creation of a register of settlements with the status of “Tourist Mahalla”, “Tourist Zone” and the development of an electronic platform for this;

- formation of each region’s own brand based on its main tourism potential.

For reference: In order to promote the tourism potential of the republic and further increase the flow of tourists, funds have been allocated to diplomatic missions of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 28 foreign countries, and the participation of national tourism stands and business entities in 16 international tourism fairs has been ensured during 10 months of the current year.