Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan has hosted the presentation of an interim report prepared by the international consulting company Reformatics on the country’s Tourism Development Strategy until 2040.

The meeting brought together leaders and representatives of the Agency for Strategic Reforms, the Committee on Tourism, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Investments, Industry and Trade, Ecology and Climate Change, Culture, Transport, Internal Affairs, the Central Bank, the National Statistics Committee, the Cultural Heritage Agency, the Culture and Arts Development Foundation, as well as other relevant agencies.

Nika Gilauri, Head of Reformatics, emphasized that Uzbekistan has significant tourism potential thanks to its rich historical and cultural heritage, advantageous geographic location, and stable domestic environment. At the same time, he noted that addressing a number of key challenges is essential to turning tourism into one of the main drivers of economic growth.

It was highlighted that in 2024, the share of tourism in the country’s GDP reached 4.7%, compared with the global average of 10%. Meanwhile, the proportion of tourists visiting specifically for leisure and travel increased from 8.3% in 2021 to 14.9% in 2024, though it remains relatively low compared to countries such as India, Türkiye, and Georgia.

To boost tourist inflows, the company proposed a range of measures, including expanding and diversifying air transport, further simplifying visa policies, creating a catalog of tourism products and an events calendar, developing modern architecture and gastronomy, introducing culinary education, and promoting entertainment and adventure tourism. Special emphasis was placed on enhancing Uzbekistan’s image through large-scale marketing campaigns and attracting investment in tourism infrastructure.

Visa policy was singled out as a key factor in growing inbound tourism. Reformatics proposed new approaches to expanding the geography of visa-free travel.

Bakhtiyor Rakhmatov, Director of the Agency for Strategic Reforms, stressed the need to develop proposals for domestic tourism that take into account the potential of all regions. He highlighted the importance of promoting ethnographic tourism, which would allow broader representation of Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage, traditions, and handicrafts of various ethnic groups. He also suggested drafting recommendations to improve tourism legislation, including updating the Law “On Tourism” and revising more than 100 regulatory acts adopted in recent years.

During the meeting, participants engaged in an in-depth discussion of the proposed initiatives. It is expected that Reformatics’ next steps will focus on setting specific benchmarks for tourism development, drawing on regional potential and the evolving demands of travelers.