According to many international publications Uzbekistan has become one of the most attractive tourist destinations in 2020. Recently, the British newspaper The Telegraph published a list of cities that must be visited this year. Among them is our Tashkent (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/lists/best-hidden-cities-must-visit-2020/). Say yes, this is a well-deserved recognition, given that every year, more and more tourists visit our country. As you can see, tourism in Uzbekistan is developing rapidly, and this is an excellent achievement as we have a lot to show to the world.
Uzbekistan which is unknown destination to most of Westerners forming a tourist scene for 2020. Uzbekistan is a culturally rich and historically attractive country along with the rest of Central Asia has been named as the New Year’s Tourist Region No. 1 on the Travel Lonely Planet website, due to its easy access and new visa-free travel opportunity. The “Economist” also singled out the country, calling it the most improved country in 2019 due to significant government reforms that accelerated over the past year. (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2019/12/21/which-nation-improved-the-most-in-2019).
All this, as well as its untouched history and wonderful food make Uzbekistan an increasingly popular destination.
No Visa
Next year will be the prime time primarily due to new visa reforms in Uzbekistan. Recently, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev initiated large-scale reforms aimed at turning the country into an attractive destination for travelers.
Reforms include 30-day period of visa-free regime for visitors from 65 countries; and a simplified electronic visa system for citizens of 77 countries, including the United States which has just been introduced, according to export.gov, operated by the US Department of Commerce.
The UN manually selects places and attractions that are culturally and historically significant for UNESCO heritage sites. As for Uzbekistan the list includes the cities of Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva and Shakhrisabz.
Safety and Security
Uzbek authorities maintain a high level of vigilance and aggressive security measures to prevent terrorist attacks while official rates of violence against foreigners remain low.
Untouched History
Perhaps the most attractive feature of Uzbekistan and the Central Asian region is the untouched and sacred history that has been preserved for thousands of years. From the huge temples and minarets of the cities of Samarkand and Bukhara to the snowy peaks of the Tien Shan mountain range, this is a region with a refreshing lack of hype and crowds.
Social Networks Promotion
In recent years, social networks have shed new light upon the country and its main attractions, and Western travelers share their experiences.
Hashtags such as #VisitUzbekistan, #VisitTashkent, #VisitSamarkand and #TravelCentralAsia have been popularized on all social media platforms
With Western support, Uzbekistan has particularly focused on the significant role of social media in expanding the tourism sector.
Thereupon USAID is working with Uzbekistan to promote travel in Central Asian region, inviting travel bloggers to explore and promote the country.
Travel bloggers have focused on a wide range of niche travel markets from the adventure and cultural travel to independent and unusual destinations.
Delicious Food
Uzbek cuisine can be described as delicious and satisfying with many rice dishes. Most popular dish is Uzbek pilaf, the country’s national dish, which consists of rice, slowly cooked with carrots, rice, onions and meat.
Food bloggers specifically use this opportunity to experiment with the unique flavors and spices used in Uzbek dishes.
Mark Vines, a well-known food blogger, travels to remote regions of the world to explore authentic local food and share his gustatory tastes with the world.
In his Migrationology blog, Vines shared the highlights of his trip and the “meat, history, and hospitality” he found in Uzbekistan.
Vines singled out a bazaar, known as Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent, where tourists flock to get a taste of Uzbek traditions.
This is a celebration for the eyes of spices, fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as everything else that is produced in Uzbekistan.