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World Bank's tourism development consultant talks future of tourism in Uzbekistan

Tourism Materials 3 August 2020 17:12 (UTC +04:00)
World Bank's tourism development consultant talks future of tourism in Uzbekistan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug. 3

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

Once the COVID-19 situation is under control in Uzbekistan and in the countries where tourists travel from, Uzbekistan’s tourism sector will be well-placed to recover, Tourism Development Consultant to the World Bank and Uzbekistan's official Tourism Ambassador to the UK Sophie Ibbotson told Trend in an interview.

According to Ibbotson, there are a number of reasons for the prognosis.

"Firstly, travelling the Silk Road is one of the great bucket list trips, and Uzbekistan epitomizes what people want from that adventure, from camels in the desert to ruined fortresses, mosques and madrassas with turquoise and blue tiles, to bustling bazaars filled with silk, spices, and souvenirs," she noted.

The tourism ambassador noted that future trends for tourism will include socially distant activities, as people will feel safer outdoors and away from crowds.

"Uzbekistan is a huge and underpopulated country, and it receives relatively few tourists. It will be very easy for the country to cater to tourists who want space around them, in particular by developing more adventure and eco-tourism activities," said Ibbotson.

"I expect we will see many more hiking, mountain biking, camping, and skiing trips to Uzbekistan’s mountains and lakes, plus new itineraries which include remote and little visited cultural sites, such as those in Navoi Region, Karakalpakstan Autonomous Republic, and Surkhandarya," she added.

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