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Uzbekistan expects to resume tourist flow in spring 2021

Tourism Materials 27 October 2020 17:27 (UTC +04:00)
Uzbekistan expects to resume tourist flow in spring 2021

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct. 27

By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:

The resumption of tourist flow in Uzbekistan is expected in the spring of 2021, Trend reports referring to the State Committee of Uzbekistan for Tourism Development.

The quarantine measures are taken in Uzbekistan, as in many countries of the world in connection with the pandemic, negatively affected the tourism sector.

Air traffic was terminated in Uzbekistan from March 16, 2020, and from April 1, 2020, all border checkpoints of the country were closed.

"As a result, from January to September 2020, the number of tourists who arrived in Uzbekistan amounted to 1.35 million, which is 3.6 times less than the same period in 2019 (4.9 million)," the committee said.

The suspension of the tourist flow has led to a sharp decline in activity in the tourism industry. Tour operators and accommodation facilities suffered huge losses.

"Some 63 percent of accommodation facilities and more than 80 percent of tour operators in the country were forced to suspend their activities, as well as reduce the number of their employees," the committee stressed.

According to the decision of the Special Republican Commission to prevent the spread of coronavirus, entries to Uzbekistan were restored from October 1, 2020. At the same time, the categories of countries divided by "green", "yellow" and "red" zones have been preserved.

According to the committee, persons arriving from the countries of the "green" zone (China, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Austria, and Japan) have been admitted to Uzbekistan within the last 14 days without any restrictions and delays at arrival points.

As for those who come from the countries of the "green" zone (Azerbaijan, Belarus, the United Arab Emirates, and the countries of the European Union except for Great Britain and Spain) and the "red" zone (all remaining countries) within the last 14 days are allowed to Uzbekistan after providing a negative PCR test on COVID-19 with validity no more than 72 hours before arrival in Uzbekistan.

If persons arriving in Uzbekistan show primary signs of coronavirus infection (cough, fever, etc.), they take an express test or samples for antigenic testing for COVID-19 and are quarantined in hotels while waiting for the test results.

In case if the test results are positive, they are placed in special treatment centers or hotels (if desired) for medical procedures for coronavirus infection.

At the moment, by the decision of the Republican Special Commission, travel companies involved in organizing tours to Uzbekistan are allowed to sell tour packages for tourist groups (at least five and no more than 15 people who have medical insurance, including COVID-19), provided they have a negative COVID-19 result valid for no more than 72 hours.

“Individuals with signs of coronavirus infection when crossing the borders of Uzbekistan pass an express test or samples for antigenic testing for COVID-19. If the test results are positive, they are quarantined in a hotel in Uzbekistan or returned to their country,” the committee added.

There are no other measures for tourists in Uzbekistan except the sanitary and epidemiological safety measures adopted in the country

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Follow the author on Twitter: @romakayeva

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