1. The Tourism potential of Uzbekistan
Farida Alimova

2. Uzbekistan is now on the difficult road to a market economy
Uzbekistan is now on the difficult road to a market economy. We need to use all available resources in order to strengthen economic situation in Uzbekistan. Tourism plays an important role in implementing this task. International experience shows, that tourism, after certain initial investments, may soon become one of the profitable sources of hard currency income in Uzbekistan.

3. Tourists flow to Uzbekistan
Year
No of tourists
1997
252,000
2000
500,000

4. The tourism industry is one of the biggest employers
Country
People
(thousand)
USA
15,800
Great
Britain
2,500
Hungary
Uzbekistan
12-15

5. The territory of modern Uzbekistan is situated where ancient trade routes crossed, the most famous one is the Great Silk Road.
The “Great Silk Road” existed for more than 14 centuries, and it ran mostly on the territory of Uzbekistan.
Before the Russian invasion of Central Asia (before 1860) there were more than 700 caravan routes in Uzbekistan, making commercial and tourist trips to the different countries of East and West.

6. Natural resources in Uzbekistan
Advantages
Mountains – Chimgan, Chatkal, Turkestan Ranges
Deserts – Kiyl kum, Kara kum
Rivers – Syr Daryia, Amu Daryia, Ugam, Chirchic
Many mineral springs
Favorable climate – sun whole year long
Disadvantages
Lack of sea
Lack of wood, forests

7. Culture

8. Culture
                                     
                 

9. Cuisine
                                                   
                                              
                                                   
                                              

10. In the cities built along the Great Silk Road, between China and Europe, there are over four thousand architectural monuments of different historical epochs beginning from the early Middle Ages. That stretch from the Stone Age , through the eras of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and the Tamerlane Empire

11. Many monuments of historical architecture are included in UNESCO’s catalogues
The Mausoleums:
Gur- Emir in Samarkand;
Ulugbek’s medrece;
Sherdar;
Ismail Samany in Bukhara;
Minaret Kalian in Bukhara
The city museums Khan in Khiva
Tilla-Kory
and others

12. Uzbekistan is considered to have
the greatest tourism potential of all the Central Asia countries.
Uzbekistan holds ninth or tenth place in the world for its recreational resources.

13. Accomodations
There are about 100 hotels in Uzbekistan, of there 7 hotels are international class (4-5 star category). But the majority of them are two star hotels
In total, hotels in Uzbekistan offer 75 thousand suites and can host simultaneously about 15 thousand people
The national hotel market offers services diverse in cost and quality
                      
Shodlik Palace Hotel                

14. Famous world chain hotels Intercontinental and Sheraton in Tashkent
                      
Hotel Inter-Continental                    
                      
Sheraton Hotel                    

15. The new sector of the market
Since 1998 private hotels of “B&B” type (Bed and Breakfast) in the form of small and family enterprises have been emerging throughout Uzbekistan

16. “Tourism shows a great potential along the Silk Road,” – said WTO Secretary General Antonio Enriques Savignac in a speech opening the three day Silk Road meeting in Tashkent. “There are few places left on this planet with such a little-known, yet fascinating human history and wealth of monuments”

17. Alexander the Great said about Samarkand: “Everything I have heard about the beauty of Samarkand is true – except that it is even more beautiful than I could imagine”  

18. Problem of tourism development in Uzbekistan
Advantages
Diversity of natural resources
Favorable location on Great Silk Road
Large number of historical monuments
Rich cultural heritage
Friendly, hospital people
Adequate hotel facilities
Disadvantages
Poor infrastructure in some tourist centers
Lack of auto service facilities on intercity roads
Few entertainment events
Quality of service below international standards