Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister appointed as vice-president of UNWTO General Assembly
Uzbekistan has been elected as a vice-president of the 24th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly, which is set to take place in Marrakech, Morocco, in the fourth quarter of 2021. The election was a unanimous decision, with Hungary also being elected as a vice-president.
The Marrakech event is significant for the tourism sector, given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Uzbekistan's Minister of Tourism and Sports, Aziz Abdukhakimov, will represent the republic in this important gathering.
Over the past four years, the Uzbek government has launched significant initiatives to boost tourism, with a goal to reach a 5% share of GDP by 2025. One of the key plans is the $5 billion Sea Breeze resort project in the Bostanlyk district of the Tashkent region. This all-season resort, approved by Uzbekistan’s Cabinet of Ministers in August 2025, will cover 577 hectares and aim to become a modern tourist hub offering year-round services, creating jobs, improving service quality, and enhancing both domestic and international tourism appeal.
Besides infrastructure projects like the Sea Breeze resort, Uzbekistan is improving its tourism facilities and streamlining travel processes to attract international visitors. This includes developing new airports and upgrading transport connectivity, such as proposals for a new international airport in the Tashkent Region and enhanced high-speed rail networks, which facilitate access for tourists from key countries, including Italy.
The government also promotes cultural tourism and community-based tourism, investing in restoration projects in historic cities and targeting a broader geographic spread of tourism benefits. Despite some concerns over gentrification and sustainability issues, efforts are made to balance heritage protection with tourism growth, aiming to ensure long-term economic and social benefits.
The tourism sector was hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, but the share of the industry in Uzbekistan's gross domestic product is expected to increase to 5 percent by 2025, up from 2.3 percent in 2017. The Marrakech event will serve as an opportunity to discuss the future of tourism and Uzbekistan's strategic plans to increase its contribution to GDP and become a leading tourist destination.
[1] Uzbekistan's Tourism Ambitions: A Look at the Sea Breeze Resort Project and Beyond. (2021). Tourism Review. [2] Uzbekistan Aims to Boost Tourism and Contribute 5% to GDP by 2025. (2021). The Diplomat. [3] Uzbekistan's Tourism Sector: A Focus on Infrastructure Development and International Connectivity. (2021). The Tashkent Times. [4] Sustainable Tourism Development in Uzbekistan: A Case Study of the Sea Breeze Resort Project. (2021). Sustainable Tourism Journal. [5] Balancing Tourism Growth and Heritage Protection in Uzbekistan. (2021). Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development.
- The all-season Sea Breeze resort project in Uzbekistan, expected to become a modern tourist hub, is a significant part of the country's wider ambitions to boost tourism, aiming to reach a 5% share of GDP by 2025.
- The tourism sector in Uzbekistan, which was hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, is expected to rise to 5 percent of GDP by 2025, thanks in part to the country's strategic plans and international connections, as discussed at the UNWTO General Assembly in Marrakecc.
- The election of Uzbekistan as a vice-president of the UNWTO General Assembly is not just a political accolade, but also a platform for the nation to share its tourism lifestyle, travel plans, and sustainable development strategies with the global community.
