Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Today, on 30 March, the II Hotel Business Forum - 2022 began in Tashkent, the purpose of which is a constructive dialogue to improve the hospitality sector. The forum is organized by the Association of Hoteliers of Uzbekistan with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The forum discussed 5 key sessions:

The role of an international hotel brand in optimizing business processes; Professional personnel in the field of hospitality as a factor in improving the quality of services;

Financial model as part of an investment project to open a hotel in Uzbekistan;

International experience of interaction of hotel services with tour operators;

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The pace of tourism recovery remains slow and uneven across regions of the world due to varying degrees of travel restrictions, vaccination levels and traveler confidence in travel safety. Uzbekistan is actively developing the tourism industry and creating conditions for the growth rate of the industry. To date, 1327 accommodation facilities operate in the country, the number of rooms in the Republic is 32,243 rooms.

“In recent years, much attention has been paid to the development of tourism in Uzbekistan at the level of the head of state. Representatives of the tourism business operating in this direction are provided with a number of benefits and preferences,” said Ulugbek Azamov, First Deputy Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage.

6.5 billion US dollars were allocated to support business entities in the field of tourism during 9 months of this year, the amount was allocated as a subsidy from the state budget. All this, in turn, requires further improvement of the tourism infrastructure, improving the quality of tourism services and improving the skills of personnel working in this area. Also in Uzbekistan, the organization of high-quality hotel services of international category is supported. 

As of 03/01/2022, the number of family guest houses is 2481, where the number of places is 21239. The number of hostels is 384 with places for 12,584 people.

With the support of the government, various decrees were issued. In particular, from April 1, 2022 to January 1, 2025, social tax rates of 1% are set for business entities in the field of public catering. For hotel services and accommodation facilities, the rates of land tax on legal entities and property tax on legal entities are reduced by 90%.

For business entities registered in the tourist zones of districts and cities, turnover tax rates are set at 1%. Property tax for legal entities and land tax will be 1% of the amount accrued for these types of taxes. Changes were made to the general requirements for accommodation facilities, where each hotel and other accommodation facilities are required to equip one or more rooms for wheelchair users, as well as to install displays and sound devices for announcements that meet the needs of people with hearing and vision disabilities.

International hotel brands are just beginning to enter the hotel services market in the historical regions of the Republic, especially in the cities of Samarkand and Bukhara. In Tashkent (as of the beginning of 2022), the following international brands operate in the field of hotel services: Hilton -2 hotels, Wyndham - 2 hotels, Radisson, Lotte, Marriot, ATECA Hotels.

Compared to 2018 (2018: 5 hotels, 2022: 9), the number of international branded hotels increased by 45% and the number of rooms increased by 38% (2018: 969 rooms, 2022: 1). 576). By 2023, at least three more operators operating in the upper and middle price segment plan to enter the hotel market in Tashkent - Holiday Inn, Intercontinental, Curio Collection by Hilton, Accor Hotels Group/

At the initiative of the Association of Hoteliers of Uzbekistan, a lot of work is underway to develop uniform state standards and classification according to the point system for accommodation facilities in Uzbekistan. These steps are aimed at maintaining a stable and uninterrupted growth of the hotel industry in the country. As part of HOTEL BUSINESS FORUM - 2022, on March 31, the award ceremony of the First National Hospitality Award of Uzbekistan will be organized.