Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In order to implement the tasks set by the President of Uzbekistan during a video conference call on measures to improve tourism infrastructure and increase the flow of foreign tourists and agreements reached during the state visit of the President of Russia to Uzbekistan in May 2024, the first meeting of the Subcommittee on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism took place in Moscow.

The event was chaired by First Deputy Committee on Tourism Jamshid Abdusalomov and Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia Dmitry Vakhrukov.

During the meeting, it was noted that under the leadership of the President of Uzbekistan, tourism has been identified as a strategic sector of the national economy.

Over 30 districts and cities have been identified as high potential tourism destinations for which separate master plans are being developed.

Dmitry Vakhrukov noted that between Uzbekistan and Russia in the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, there is an increase in mutual tourist flow of more than 20 percent.

Managing Director of the online service Ostrovok.ru Daria Kochetkova emphasized that Uzbekistan is currently among the top 10 countries that our users book. “Over the past two years, Uzbekistan has risen from 30th place to 6th position. This is wonderful, and we see great interest from our users in Uzbekistan.”

During the meeting, the parties discussed current issues on the bilateral agenda, in particular the implementation of previously adopted decisions and documents, intergovernmental Action Plan to create conditions for increasing the tourist flow between Uzbekistan and Russia and the Cooperation Program to increase the tourist flow between the two countries for 2025-2026, issues of development of joint tourism projects, exchange of experience in the field of tourism management, development of marketing campaigns to attract tourists.

The issues of organizing connecting flights from Russian cities through Tashkent to other countries and holding the Year of Tourism of Uzbekistan in Russia in 2024-25 were considered.

Following the meeting, a protocol of the meeting of the Russian-Uzbek Subcommittee on cooperation in the field of tourism was signed.