The second day of the 25th session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Samarkand has ended.

On October 17, meetings of various committees were held. In particular, current issues related to the sphere were discussed at meetings of the UNWTO Affiliate Members and the Committee on Tourism and Sustainability.

The main event of the day, the Global Investment Forum, began at the expo center located on the territory of the “Great Silk Road” International Tourist Center.

At the opening ceremony of the forum, the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan Aziz Abdukhakimov, and Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization Zurab Pololikashvili once again emphasized the importance of this prestigious event.

Mr. Abdukhakimov, speaking about the reforms being carried out in Uzbekistan in tourism development and the vast potential of the country in this direction, noted that over the past five years, the number of hotels has almost doubled and reached 1,000, leading world brands in this area have entered the domestic tourism market areas.

– Independent international organizations assess the current state of tourism development in our country as stable, – Mr. Abdukhakimov said. – In 2024, the number of tourists visiting our country is expected to reach 10 million. Uzbekistan presents investment projects worth $3 billion at the forum. Therefore, you can not only learn about investment opportunities, but also invest here and now – 170 lots will be put up for public auction. I am confident that this forum will be important in promoting innovative projects for sustainable tourism development. I encourage all investors to be active – this will be the first step towards the prosperity of your business in Uzbekistan.

Within the framework of the Global Investment Forum, many innovative initiatives and practical proposals were put forward aimed at developing world tourism at the level of modern requirements. In particular, the participants were greatly impressed by the report of the UNWTO Executive Director Natalia Bayona on the global trends in the process of investing in tourism, the UNWTO investment program.

During the high-level dialogue, ministers responsible for the tourism sector of countries that have a worthy place in the global tourism sector, such as the Maldives, Colombia, Albania, and Spain, who arrived in Samarkand, shared their views on solving current problems in the industry based on their experience.

During the forum, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili handed over to the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan Aziz Abdukhakimov a special guide entitled “Tourism Doing Business. Investing in Uzbekistan”.

The program of the two-day forum includes discussions and meetings at the level of ministers and heads of international financial institutions – a total of 5 specialized sessions and presentations from 22 countries and foreign structures.

The event is attended by 634 representatives from about 100 countries, including 122 large foreign investors and 540 domestic companies registered through a special link on the official website of the General Assembly. On the same day, the 119th session of the UNWTO Executive Council took place. Events within the framework of the Samarkand Forum continue.

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Gayrat Khonnazarov, UzA