BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19
By Ilkin Seyfaddini – Trend:
Uzbekistan is in desperate need for more flights to keep up with tourists inflow, Deputy Prime Minister Aziz Abdukhakimov said at the opening of an international aviation forum in Tashkent on Feb. 19, Trend reports with the reference to Uzbek media.
According to him, the increased tourist inflow has been a huge load on the rail and air transport system. In 2019, the number of foreign tourists visiting Uzbekistan increased by almost 5 times compared with 2016 and reached 6.7 million people (in 2016 - 1.3 million people). About 12 million tourists are expected in Uzbekistan in 2025.
Active marketing and successful promotion of Uzbekistan’s tourism potential at international exhibitions resulted in a massive demand for visits to Uzbekistan, he added.
“Thus, Uzbekistan is in desperate need for more flights. If there are more flights, then the number of tourists will be even more,” Abduhakimov concluded.
The forum was attended by representatives of about 180 companies from around the world: Boeing and Jetcraft (US), Air Charter Service (UK), Bombardier Business Jets (Canada), TLD (India), Luftansa Consulting (Germany), EGIS (France), ATR (Spain), Kuwait Airways (Kuwait), Air Arabia and BGT Events (UAE), Gulf Air (Bahrain), Korean Air and Asiana Airlines (South Korea), Azerbaijan Airlines (Azerbaijan), Aeroflot and AirAero (Russia), Al Masria (Egypt), Zagros Airlines (Iran), Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Airlines (Turkey), Mitsubishi Corporation(Japan), Air Astana (Kazakhstan) and others.
Representatives of many companies participate in plenary sessions held as part of the forum. At the sessions, many international experts including Charles Schlumberger (World Bank), Askhat Torshin (Lufthansa Consulting), Amir Otakiy (Bombardier), Kamil Al-Awadhi (Kuwait Airways), Aytach Mastaliyeva (Amadeus), Ralph Weber (Airbus) and Alexey Sinitsky (AtoEvents) shared their experience in the development of tourism and transport systems.
The forum was organized by the State Committee for Tourism Development of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Transport, and Uzbekistan Airways in cooperation with the Fair Exhibition Organizers company (UAE).
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