Tourism | Turizm

Uzbekistan makes tourist visas even more simplified



In accordance with the decree, foreign citizens can stay on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan with an electronic visa up to 30 days from the date of entry within the 90-day period of its validity.

On May 28, a presidential decree "On amendments and additions to some acts of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan" was adopted, which came into effect from the moment of signing.

According to the Decree, citizens of a number of countries (up to 77) enjoy a simplified tourist visa procedure, now they get their visa at the consular offices of Uzbekistan within two working days (not counting the day of receiving documents), while the requirement to provide the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a tourist voucher has been abolished.

Citizens of these states can also enter the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan through the electronic visa through the website www.e-visa.gov.uz.

In addition, in accordance with the decree, foreign citizens can stay on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan with an electronic visa up to 30 days from the date of entry within the 90-day period of its validity. That is, the 30-day period of stay of a foreign citizen in the territory of the Republic begins to be calculated from the moment of crossing the state border of Uzbekistan, including entry into the territory of the Republic on the 90th day.

https://uzreport.news/society/uzbekistan-makes-tourist-visas-even-more-simplified

French company intends to build largest ski resort in Central Asia in Uzbekistan



The French company expressed its intention to create a multi-profile tourist complex in the area of the Charvak reservoir.

The Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade held a meeting with the leadership of the French company Orex Loisirs.

The French company expressed its intention to create a multi-profile tourist complex in the area of the Charvak reservoir.

According to experts, this complex promises to become the largest and unique ski tourist center in Central Asia. The total investment in the development of tourism infrastructure will be about $500 million, more than 60 kilometers of ski slopes and 20 kilometers of cable car will be laid. The territory of the complex will exceed 42 hectares.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to send a working group to the site of the planned deployment of the project to discuss technical issues.

https://uzreport.news/economy/french-company-intends-to-build-largest-ski-resort-in-central-asia-in-uzbekistan

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signs law on tourism



Guides -interpreters can provide services on their own, without the formation of a legal entity, after receiving a certificate issued by the Committee.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the Law "On tourism" on July 18.

According to the law, the State Committee for Tourism Development is an authorized state body in the field of tourism.

The activities of tour operators and travel agents are carried out on the basis of a license. The license is issued for an unlimited period of validity.

Individual entrepreneurs providing excursion services are not required to have a license to carry out tourist activities.

Guides -interpreters can provide services on their own, without the formation of a legal entity, after receiving a certificate issued by the Committee.

In accordance with the law, the Committee develops the national tourist logo of Uzbekistan.

This law shall enter into force three months from the date of its official publication.

https://uzreport.news/politics/president-shavkat-mirziyoyev-signs-law-on-tourism

Another 20 countries to enjoy visa-free regime of Uzbekistan starting 2020



This was approved by the presidential decree "On measures for the further development of tourism in the Republic of Uzbekistan".

Visa-free regime for 30 days for citizens of another 20 countries will be established from January 1, 2020.

This was approved by the presidential decree "On measures for the further development of tourism in the Republic of Uzbekistan".

Following is a list of countries for whose citizens visa-free regime for a period of 30 days is established from January 1, 2020:

Antigua and Barbuda

Barbados

Belize

Grenada

Dominican Republic

united mexican states

Republic of Guatemala

Republic of Honduras

The Republic Of Costa Rica

Republic of Cuba

Republic of Nicaragua

Republic of Panama

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

The Republic Of El Salvador

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Lucia

Commonwealth Of The Bahamas

Commonwealth of Dominica

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis

Jamaica

https://uzreport.news/politics/another-20-countries-to-enjoy-visa-free-regime-of-uzbekistan-starting-2020

Ancient Bukhara impressed UNESCO Director-General



During her trip to Bukhara, Audrey Azoulay visited architectural sites of Labi-Hauz, Pou Kalian , ancient bastion of Ark and Samanids masouleum.

On August 27, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay visited Bukhara. The Deputy Prime Minister Aziz Abdukhakimov and Mayor of Bukhara region Uktam Barnoyev met her at the airport upon arrival.

Worth to note fact is that 9 out of 962 objects from 157 countries, included in UNESCO world heritage list, are in Uzbekistan. These are Ichan-Kala in Khiva, historical centers in Samarkand, Bukhara and Shakhrisabz, including the Western Tien Shan. More than 300 monuments of architecture included in the World Heritage List are located in Bukhara.

During her visit, UNESCO Director-General visited Architectual ensemble Lyabi-Khauz, Po-I – Kalyan, the Ark fortress as well as the Samanids Mausoleum. She also visited 400-year-old Jewish synagogue. The guest has expressed her impression with historical monuments of Bukhara as well as the handicrafts of local people.

https://uzreport.news/society/ancient-bukhara-impressed-unesco-director-general

Vote for Uzbekistan in the “National Geographic Traveler Awards 2019” contest in the “Opening of the Year” nomination



Uzbekistan will take part in the National Geographic Traveler Awards 2019 in the nomination “Discovery of the Year”.

This prestigious international award was established by the Russian application of the famous National Geographic magazine. Online voting takes place from 29 June to 12 October 2019 inclusive in 24 major categories.

The National Geographic Traveler Award is considered to be very prestigious in the world of international tourism.

In this nomination, Uzbekistan so far gained 22% of the vote, losing first place to Armenia with 44%. Romania ranks third with 17%, while Taiwan and Oman share fourth and fifth with 9%.

It should be noted that last year Uzbekistan won first place in this competition in the category "Gastronomic Tourism".

Dear Uzbeks and guests of the country! We urge you to vote for Uzbekistan in the "Opening of the Year" nomination! We will help our country win the international prestigious National Geographic Traveler Awards 2019!

https://www.uzdaily.com/en/post/51542

Soon no ID will be required to visit Tashkent Tower



Soon visitors to Tashkent Tower will be admitted without having to provide an ID, the Tashkent city mayor’s office said in a statement. However, when this decision will take effect was not disclosed.

“The new access procedure will help increase the flow of local and foreign tourists to the Tashkent TV tower, which is one of the main attractions of the capital,” the statement said.

In February last year, the ban on photo and video filming at the Tashkent TV Tower, which was in force for several years, was lifted.

https://tashkenttimes.uz/national/4569-soon-no-id-will-be-required-to-visit-tashkent-tower

Brief review of main indicators of Uzbekistan`s tourism market for 9 months of 2019



The results of the 9 months of 2019 show that the quantitative indicators of the tourism industry reflect the trend of stable growth relative to the previous year. According to the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Tourism Development, the number of foreign tourists visiting Uzbekistan for 9 months of 2019 amounted to 4.9 million people. This is 26.1% up year-on-year.

GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE OF THE NUMBER OF TOURISTS

The results of the 9 months of 2019 show that the quantitative indicators of the tourism industry reflect the trend of stable growth relative to the previous year. According to the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Tourism Development, the number of foreign tourists visiting Uzbekistan for 9 months of 2019 amounted to 4.9 million people. This is 26.1% up year-on-year.

The overall trend of the indicator for the months remained unchanged, while in quantitative terms it has increased. During the 9 months of 2019 and 2018, the largest number of tourists falls on the month of August, some 692.3 thousand people arrived during this period (18.5% up).

In September, the number of foreign tourists decreased by 13.9% and amounted to 613.7 thousand people.

The highest rate of growth in the number of tourists is observed in January and is 64.2%. The lowest growth rate falls on the month of May and is 12.5%.

The age characteristics of the composition of foreign tourists remain without significant changes in the first 9 months of 2019. Still the main part of foreign tourists, that is about 51,0% are aged from 31 to 55 years. This shows that the country is visited mainly by tourists of more mature age. The proportion of young people aged 19 to 30 years comprised 19.5%, and under 18 years-9.4%. The share of tourists aged 55 years and older is 20.0%. In general, the composition of foreign tourists is quite diversified in terms of age categories and corresponds to the existing tourist potential of the country.

In regional terms, naturally, a large number of tourists visit the country from neighboring countries. Accordingly, the predominant part of tourists fall on the countries of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan. Tajikistan and Turkmenistan). Thus, in the first 9 months of 2019, the number of tourists visiting Uzbekistan from Central Asian countries increased by 24.1%, reaching 4.2 million people. 384.1 thousand people from the CIS countries (excluding Central Asia) visited Uzbekistan, which is 26.3% more than in the previous year.

The total number of tourists was distributed among the regions in the following proportions: Central Asia-84.7%, CIS countries-7.8% and foreign countries-7.55%.

THE PURPOSE OF VISIT

The visit purpose is an important indicator reflecting the state and direction of development of the tourism sector of the country. The simplification of visa procedures and the abolition of visas in a number of countries has had an impact on the flow of tourists over the past two years. These measures are related both to the visa regimes of neighboring countries and countries far abroad.

As a result, according to the results of 9 months of 2019 in the context of the purposes of the visit, most of the tourists came to visit their relatives and friends. Thus, during the period under review, the share of such tourists in the total number of foreign tourists amounted to 82.5%. At the same time, this indicator decreased relative to the same indicator of the previous year by 5.9 points.

A significant increase in the share is observed for tourists who visited the country for recreation and entertainment. The number of tourists arriving for recreation and entertainment increased by 2.2 times, amounting to 725.3 thousand people. As a result, the share of these tourists in the total number of foreign tourists increased by 6.3 percentage points and amounted to 14.7%. Experts note this trend as a positive result, reflecting the qualitative improvement of the indicators of the tourism sector of the country.

The number of tourists visiting the country for education increased 2.3 times and amounted to 18.2 thousand people.

EXPORT OF TOURIST SERVICES

The volume of exports of tourist services is an important indicator reflecting the state and contribution of the tourism industry to the economy as a whole. In the first 9 months of 2019, the volume of services exports reached $986.8 million, which is 27.6% higher than the previous year.

The growth in the volume of services exports was mainly due to the growth in the number of tourists. If we consider the volume of exports of services in the context of regions, the highest rate of growth in the volume of exports of tourist services fall on foreign countries. Thus, in the first 9 months of 2019, the export of tourist services to foreign countries increased by 54.8%, amounting to $264.5 million. Exports of services to CIS countries increased by 26.3%, reaching $244.1 million.

The highest growth rate of services exports is observed in Turkmenistan. Exports to the country increased 3.5-fold to $38.6 million. Exports to France increased 2.0-fold to $9.0 million.

https://uzreport.news/analytics/brief-review-of-main-indicators-of-uzbekistans-tourism-market-for-9-months-of-2019

National Geographic Traveler recognizes Uzbekistan as “Discovery of the year”



Last year, Uzbekistan was awarded the first place in the category “Gastronomic tourism”, gaining 34 percent of the votes of readers.

The Russian edition of the American magazine “National Geographic Traveler” summed up the results of the annual award “National Geographic Traveler Awards 2019”.

The ceremony on this occasion was held on November 28 at the hotel “President Hotel” in Moscow. It was attended by representatives of the largest travel companies, publishers, PR agencies, media, culture, art and others.

According to the results of the contest, Uzbekistan won the nomination “Discovery of the year”, leaving behind such states as Armenia, Oman, Taiwan and Romania.

The award “Opening of the year” was presented in a solemn atmosphere to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Russian Federation Botirjon Asadov.

https://uzreport.news/society/national-geographic-traveler-recognizes-uzbekistan-as-discovery-of-the-year

Foreigners can now stay in Uzbekistan without registration for up to 30 days



In October this year, the President of Uzbekistan signed amendments to the legislation, which provide for the abolition of criminal liability of foreign citizens for violation of the rules of stay in the Republic.



Uzbekistan proposes to abolish the procedure for registration of foreign citizens and stateless persons on the territory of Uzbekistan for the period of visa (visa-free) regime, but not more than 30 days. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2020.

https://uzreport.news/economy/foreigners-can-now-stay-in-uzbekistan-without-registration-for-up-to-30-days

Ski resort Amirsoy has been opened













https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2019/12/21/amirsoy/

Why Uzbekistan is said to be a top travel destination for 2020



Uzbekistan, long unknown to most Westerners, is already shaping the travel scene for 2020.

This culturally rich and historically compelling country, along with the rest of central Asia, has been named the No. 1 travel region for the new year by travel website Lonely Planet due to its easy access and new visa-free travel ability. The Economist highlighted the country as well, naming it the most improved nation in 2019 due to significant government reforms that have accelerated over the past year.
All of that, plus its untouched history and remarkable food, are making Uzbekistan an increasingly popular destination.

Visa-free travel
Next year will be a prime time to visit Uzbekistan primarily because of its new visa reforms.
Recently, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev initiated ambitious reforms to transform the country into an attractive destination for travelers.
Reforms include a 30-day period of visa-free travel privileges for visitors from 65 countries; and a simplified electronic visa system for citizens of 77 countries, including the United States, was just introduced, according to export.gov, which is managed by the US Commerce Department.


Safety and Security
Travelers should still proceed with caution when going to Uzbekistan.
The US State Department advises US citizens that the potential for a terrorist attack or localized civil disturbance still exists there.
Despite this, "Uzbek authorities maintain a high level of alert and aggressive security measures to thwart terrorist attacks and official numbers of violence against foreigners is low", according to the State Department.
And the concern hasn't slowed the curiosity of travelers. The number of foreign visitors has grown from 1.9 million people in 2014 to 6.4 million in 2018, according to the US Commerce Department.

Untouched History
Perhaps the most attractive quality of Uzbekistan and the central Asian region is the untouched and sacred history that has survived over thousands of years.
From the immense temples and minarets of the cities Samarkand and Bukhara to the snow-covered peaks of the Tian Shan mountain range, this is a region with a refreshing lack of hype -- and crowds.


The United Nations handpicks areas and landmarks that are culturally and historically significant for its UNESCO heritage sites. For Uzbekistan, the cities of Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva and Shakhrisabz have all made the list.
Social media attention
In recent years, social media has been shining a new light on the country and its top attractions, with Western travelers sharing their experiences.
Hashtags such as #VisitUzbekistan, #VisitTashkent, #VisitSamarkand and #TravelCentralAsia have been popularized throughout social media platforms.


With the support of the West, Uzbekistan has particularly focused on the significant role social media plays in expanding the tourism sector.
That is why USAID partnered with Uzbekistan to promote travel in the central Asian region by inviting travel bloggers to explore and promote the country.
"The travel bloggers focused on a wide range of niche tourism markets from adventure and cultural travel to independent and offbeat destinations," according to the US embassy.
"Popular Central Asian tourist sites involved in the trip include Samarkand, Charyn Canyon, Karakol, the Fann Mountains, and more", said the embassy.
Mouth-watering food scene
Uzbek cuisine can be characterized as flavorful and hearty with an array of rice dishes. Its most popular dish is the Uzbek pilau, the country's national dish which consists of a bed of rice slowly cooked with carrots, rice, onions and meat.
Food bloggers are especially using this opportunity to experiment with the unique flavors and spices used in Uzbek dishes.
Mark Weins, a prominent food blogger, travels to remote areas of the world to taste authentic local food and share his taste buds with the world.

On his blog Migrationology, Weins shared highlights of his trip and the "meat, history and hospitality" he found.
Weins highlighted the bazaar known as the Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent, where tourists flock to get a taste of Uzbek traditions.

"It's a feast for the eyes of fresh meat, spices, fruits and vegetables, and everything else produced in Uzbekistan. The dome structure of the market reminds me of a stock exchange floor, a museum of a market," Weins added.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/uzbekistan-travel-destination-2020-trnd/index.html

First time in history Uzbek government compensates cost of hotel construction



The press service of the State Committee for Tourism Development has recently announced that the entrepreneur, who commissioned the Grand Hotel Sogdiana in Samarkand, was awarded the first certificate for 4 billion soums. This was done in accordance with the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of May 27, 2019. Subsidies are to be allocated to investors in the construction of a new hotel, according to the document.

The three-star hotel is owned by Dobusiya Samarqand Aqualand LLC. It has 102 rooms, designed to receive 204 guests. Construction of the hotel began in August 2017. In September 2019, the facility was put into operation.

In order to get the subsidy, the hotel must have at least 50 rooms of 3-star category and 100 rooms of 4-star category. At the same time, the new hotel should be put into operation until January 1, 2022.

https://uzreport.news/finance/first-time-in-history-uzbek-government-compensates-cost-of-hotel-construction