Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 26 August 2020, a visiting session of the Senate Committee on International Relations, Foreign Economic Relations, Foreign Investment and Tourism was held in Jizzakh region to discuss the results of studying the state of implementation of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Tourism".

Representatives of ministries and departments, local authorities, deputies of regional and district Kengashes of people’s deputies, journalists took part in the meeting of the Committee.

Within the framework of the meeting, a substantive and comprehensive discussion of the information and analytical report prepared by the working group based on the results of the study of the state of implementation of the law in the region, as well as the draft decision of the Committee on this issue took place.

The study showed that a certain amount of work has been done to implement the Law at the republican and regional levels. In particular, at the republican level, an appropriate regulatory framework was formed, rules for the provision of hotel services (accommodation services), as well as services of tour operators and travel agents were developed. In addition, in order to assess the country’s compliance with the requirements of the International Tourism Standardization, standards and requirements for personnel in the field of tourism were developed and registered.

Comprehensive work was carried out to simplify the visa regime So, if in 2018 in Uzbekistan a visa-free regime was provided for citizens of 9 countries, then in 2019 their number increased by another 47, as of 1 January 2020 the total number of countries with a visa-free regime reached 86. The number of countries whose citizens have the opportunity to obtain an electronic visa has reached 57. A system of double and multiple-entry electronic visas has been introduced.

Thanks to these measures, during 2017-2019, there was a steady increase in the tourist flow to the republic.

At the regional level, the authorized body, together with local authorities, has developed an integral concept for the development of the tourism industry. For example, 168 new tourist routes were developed, 652 awareness-raising activities were carried out. A number of tourist festivals have been initiated (for example, the Oltin Kuz agritourism festival).

As a result of the work done, the number of business entities working in the tourism sector increased 2.6 times compared to 2018. Also, in 2019, more than 11 thousand foreign tourists visited the region, according to the results of the first quarter of 2020, due to the global pandemic COVID 19, the flow of foreign tourists decreased to 591 people.

At the same time, it was emphasized that, in spite of the work done, a whole range of issues remains open, requiring their solution both at the republican and regional levels.

In particular, there are facts of a lag in the implementation of the Program for the Comprehensive Development of the Tourism Sector in the Jizzakh Region for 2017-2019, approved by the Minutes of the Cabinet of Ministers meeting No. 4 of 17 May 2017.

In addition, there is a lack of coordination and a unified system for the preparation of statistical data with local authorities.

At the regional level, the issue of forming an appropriate transport and hotel infrastructure, diversifying the tourist product, which, among other things, involves the development of ziyorat and mais tourism, as well as the formation of new points of growth and maximum disclosure of the tourist potential of all districts of Jizzakh region, remains extremely relevant.

Until now, the issue of developing territorial programs to ensure the protection and safety of tourists and excursionists along all tourist routes, as well as regional tourist delirium, remains open.

In addition, the issue of the material and technical base and staffing of the regional authorized body in the field in the field of tourism remains problematic.

As a result of the meeting, the collected proposals and recommendations were included in the Committee’s Decision, an agreement was reached with the deputies of local kengashes on joint strengthening of control over the implementation of the provisions of the Law "On Tourism", as well as regional programs.