With Indian tourist arrivals in Uzbekistan rising rapidly, the destination tourism promotion organisation has identified India as a priority market and calls its activities in India as part of its move towards bridging bilateral ties, engage better with Indian travel trade partners and gain more traction in Indian arrivals.

Citing India as a ‘top priority’ for the nation, Uzbekistan has significantly enhanced its activities in India, notably through enhanced participation in key travel trade events like the recently-concluded SATTE 2024 that was held in Delhi.

In a press statement, the Uzbekistan Tourism Board says that the participation was a significant move emphasising the strengthening of tourism ties with India.

The board says that the Ambassador to the Republic of Uzbekistan in India, Sardor Rustambaev and the Silk Road Director, Ahror Valijdanov, expressed the commitment of Uzbekistan to enhance collaboration with the Indian market, which has been identified as a top priority for the Central Asian nation.

The statement adds that the participation of Ambassador Rustambaev in two key SATTE events, including the inauguration and as a key speaker in a panel discussion moderated by Noor Ahmed Hamid, CEO, PATA, not only reinforced Uzbekistan’s commitment to fostering cultural ties but also contributed to the broader dialogue on the future of international tourism.

Valijdanov highlighted the remarkable growth in tourist arrivals from India over the past year. “The statistics speak for themselves, we are delighted to announce that the number of Indian tourists visiting Uzbekistan tripled in 2023 compared to the previous year,” says Valijdanov.
According to the statement, this achievement reflects the growing interest of Indian travellers in exploring the rich cultural heritage, historical landmarks and picturesque landscapes that Uzbekistan has to offer.

The statement adds that the Uzbek delegation included high-ranking officials from the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan including Ambassador Rustambaev, Counsellor Ikboljon O Soliev and Press-Attache-First Secretary in India Sadriddin Suyarov, along with four members from the Uzbekistan Tourism Committee including Valijdanov, Inomjon Madrimov, Umarbek Esanmuradov and Nuriddin Hasanov aimed to forge partnerships with Indian travel trade stakeholders.

The tourism board adds that marking their presence in the show were also five notable Destination Management Companies (DMCs) from Uzbekistan to contribute to the collaborative efforts to promote tourism between the two nations. These DMCs, namely UZINTA (Uzbek-India Tourism Association), Blessed Travel, Enjoy Travel, TITF Team and Co, and Travel Together, played a crucial role in presenting the diverse offerings of Uzbekistan to the Indian travel trade.

According to the board, as Uzbekistan continues to emerge as a top destination for Indian tourists, both countries look forward to deepening their tourism cooperation and creating enduring connections between the people of Uzbekistan and India.