Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Tourism Committee and Visa have organized a joint seminar focused on the digital transformation of the tourism industry in Uzbekistan.

During the event, experts discussed key issues related to tourism development, such as increasing tourist flows through new travel corridors, enhancing the average spending per tourist, and promoting new tourism products and services.

Experts shared data indicating a 15% increase in tourist arrivals to Uzbekistan in 2023 compared to the previous year, with a 10% rise in average spending per tourist. The seminar also explored the potential for introducing new tourism products, such as ecotourism, gastronomic tourism, and cultural tourism, as well as developing solutions like a mobile app for tourists and an online tour booking platform.

Visa presented its experience in digital transformation within the tourism sector, showcasing new digital products and services that could be implemented in Uzbekistan. "As a global company, Visa is committed to supporting the growth of tourism by sharing expertise, creating new digital products, and enhancing Uzbekistan’s attractiveness for travelers through fast and convenient cashless payments," said Kristina Dorosh, Senior Vice President and Regional Manager for Ukraine, Georgia, CIS, and Southeast Europe at Visa.

As a result of the seminar, the Tourism Committee and Visa have agreed on a concrete action plan to integrate digital technologies into Uzbekistan’s tourism sector. The plan includes creating a unified tour booking platform, implementing cashless payments in tourist areas, and developing a mobile app for tourists.

Recall that in June of this year, the Tourism Committee and Visa signed a memorandum on the digital transformation of the tourism industry in Uzbekistan.