Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- From 1 to 3 November 2022, Samarkand, Khiva, Bukhara and Tashkent are hosting the International Week of Pilgrimage Tourism. Tourism Week is held at the initiative of the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Heritage in cooperation with a number of organizations.

The purpose of the international week is to unleash the potential of pilgrimage tourism in the country, make Uzbekistan one of the most important centers of world civilization, gain high recognition from the world community and international organizations, as well as diversify pilgrimage tourism services and increase tourism exports.

Pilgrimage tourism in Uzbekistan has a significant development potential due to its ancient cities - Bukhara and Samarkand, where important shrines of the Islamic world are concentrated. Tourism is becoming one of the strategically important and dynamically developing sectors of the economy of our country. Thanks to the development of tourism, in particular, pilgrimage, we can attract a huge flow of tourists interested in religious tourism.

Today in Samarkand at the Palace of Youth the official opening of the Week of Pilgrimage Tourism took place. The solemn ceremony was opened by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Uzbekistan Aziz Abdukhakimov.

“Uzbekistan has developed standards for requirements for tourism services and Muslim hospitality. Prayer halls and ablution rooms were organized at international airports, train stations and hotels. This year, at the global Halal in Travel Awards summit dedicated to the restoration and development of the tourism market of the Muslim world in Singapore, the city of Samarkand won in the nomination "Best Developing Muslim City of the year,” Aziz Abdukhakimov noted in his speech.

Within the framework of the International Week, exhibitions, seminars, scientific and practical conferences and cultural and educational events will be held aimed at developing ziyorat tourism, as well as promoting thematic souvenirs. Participants of the event are waiting for:

- The official opening of the International Week of Ziyorat Tourism, the conference "Islamic Heritage of Uzbekistan", the festival of folk melodies and songs at the new Silk Road Tourist Center in Samarkand (First day of the event – on 1 November);

- Festival "Ko’ngil ohanglari" ("Melodies of the heart") in Registan, sightseeing tour of the city of Samarkand (Second day of the event – on 2 November and 3 November);

- Exhibitions "Modern Islamic architecture" in the memorial complex of Bahauddin Nakshband and "Islamic calligraphy and decorative design" in the center of crafts "Nakshband" in Bukhara (Fourth day of the event – on 4 November);

- Conference dedicated to the "Scientific heritage of Mahmud az Zamakhshari" in the center of Ichan-kala, International handicraft exhibitions and fair of masters of applied arts and artisans of different nations "Masters of the World", dedicated to "Khiva - the capital of tourism of the Islamic world", conference "Instructions of Najmiddin Kubro" in Khiva (Fifth day of the event – on 5 November);

- "Round table" dedicated to the topic "Islamic economy", the exhibition "National clothes", an excursion to the Khazrati Imam complex in Tashkent (Sixth day of the event – on 6 November);

- Conference "Halol turizm" in the congress hall "Tashkent City", the festival "Halol taomlar" in the park "Navruz", the solemn closing ceremony of the International week of ziyorat tourism, Gala concert in "Tashkent City" (Last day of the event – on 7 November).

Also, within the framework of the week, it is planned to hold press conferences and briefings with comprehensive coverage of these events in local and foreign media.

The main goal of the development of pilgrimage tourism is to promote the tourism potential of Uzbekistan as the center of Islamic civilization around the world. Muslims, mainly from Europe and Southeast Asia, are increasingly interested in pilgrimage tourism, which reveals the beauty of the Islamic heritage, represents the rich history of Islam.