Uzbekistan hosts first international ecotourism summit
Uzbekistan has hosted an international summit on ecotourism and sustainable tourism for the first time, marking a significant step in positioning the country as a global destination for environmentally responsible travel, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing UzA.
The event was organized by Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee, the International Ecotourism Society, and TGS Travel.
The summit brought together around 100 leading tour operators, tourism company representatives, and industry specialists from more than 20 countries. Previous editions of the forum were held in Türkiye, Egypt, Vietnam, and Tanzania, underscoring the recognition of Uzbekistan’s growing potential in the sector.
Participants explored Uzbekistan’s tourism opportunities and ongoing reforms, with discussions centered on sustainable resource management and strengthening international cooperation. Special emphasis was placed on expanding ties with North American and European markets. The business program featured B2B meetings, resulting in agreements between companies from Canada, the UK, and other European nations to launch joint tourism initiatives.
Officials highlighted recent reforms that have boosted the industry. UN Tourism reports Uzbekistan is among the seven fastest‑growing countries in international tourism, with more than 8 million foreign visitors coming to the country since the start of the year and staying, on average, up to eight days.
Significant investment is being directed toward hotel infrastructure. Entrepreneurs benefit from concessional loans with ten‑year terms at 16% interest, while subsidies for building three‑ to five‑star hotels have been extended by two years. Reduced land and property tax rates for hotels - cut tenfold - will remain in place until 2030. Tour operators’ services to foreign tourists are classified as exports and exempt from VAT, while customs incentives for importing tourist buses, electric buses, and minibuses have been extended for another year.
The summit has become a key platform for attracting new investors and global partners, reinforcing Uzbekistan’s ambition to expand its role in the international tourism market.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that Tajikistan had approved a $ 29 million tourism development plan.