Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – On 23 June, the fifth meeting of the Ministers for Tourism of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (CCTS) was held in videoconference mode.

Baghdad Amreev, Secretary General of the CCTS, the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Mehmet Ersoy, Chairman of the Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan Fuat Nagiyev and other heads of tourism administrations of the CCTS countries took part in the online meeting of tourism ministers.

From Uzbekistan, an online conference was attended by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan - Chairman of the State Committee for Tourism Development Aziz Abdukhakimov.

On 14 September 2019, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the Law “On Ratification of the Nakhichevan Agreement on the Establishment of a Cooperation Council for Turkic Speaking States (Nakhichevan, on 3 October 2009)”, and on 15 October 2019, in Baku, the Republic of Uzbekistan, represented by the head of state, took part at the seventh Summit of the CCTS as a full member.

Heads of tourist administrations of the Turkic Council countries discussed issues of the current state of the tourism industry in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, discussed the experience of the Council countries in revitalizing the tourism sector, measures to restore tourist exchange between Council countries, as well as various projects and initiatives aimed at joint development of the industry tourism in member states of the Council.

During the online conference, the participants were informed in detail about the work begun in Uzbekistan to accelerate the restoration of the tourism industry, in particular about the support measures defined by the Decree of the President of the country from 28 May “On urgent measures to support the tourism sector to reduce the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic” and the Decree of the President of the Republic from 19 June “On additional measures for the development of the tourism sector with strict observance of the requirements of the enhanced sanitary and epidemiological safety regime.”

The Deputy Prime Minister in his speech said that in Uzbekistan, in accordance with the installation of the President of the country, the tourism industry “learns to live and work” in a pandemic. Participants in an online meeting on the results of measures to combat coronavirus in Uzbekistan: as of 23 June2020 in total, 6500 people infected with coronavirus, 70% of whom have already recovered, and mortality from this disease is one of the lowest in the world - 0.3%, which is an important aspect in planning the reception of tourists in a pandemic.

Aziz Abdukhakimov presented in detail about the implemented tourist safety system, in particular, the creation of the Safe Tourism Fund, the launched sanitary-epidemiological safety system of Uzbekistan. Safe travel GUARANTEED, an opportunity provided to business entities participating in the free disinfection system at their tourist infrastructure facilities, as well as compensation conditions in the amount of US$3,000 in case of foreign tourists being infected with coronavirus during their stay in Uzbekistan.

The meeting participants were especially interested in the fact of using the Uzbekistan system in the creation of the Uzbekistan system, cited in the speech of Deputy Prime Minister A. Abdukhakimov. Safe travel GUARANTEED of the scientific work of our ancestor, a native of the sacred Bukhara Abu Ali ibn Sina, known in the West as Avicenna, who laid the foundations of epidemiology and quarantine a thousand years ago. Avicenna developed a scientifically based methodological guide for ancient travelers called “Events for Travelers” (“Fi tadbir al-musofirin”).

Aziz Abdukhakimov also informed the participants about the opening for domestic tourism of the "green" and "yellow" regions of the country form 1 June, as well as the resumption from 15 June air connections with foreign countries with the introduction of “green”, “yellow” and “red” flights according to risk levels based on the situation with coronavirus.

The participants of the event highly appreciated the measures for accelerating the restoration of the tourism sector and the formation of new instruments for its development, the privileges, preferences and incentives for the tourism business, the expansion of the Open Skies regime at Andijan, Bukhara and Urgench airports, as well as incentive measures development of tourist infrastructure.

It should be noted that in 2019, of the 6.7 million guests who arrived in our country, 52% (3.8 million) accounted for the countries of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking countries.

During the introduction by the Deputy Prime Minister, a number of initiatives were put forward, the implementation of which will have a positive effect for all participating countries.

In particular, Abdukhakimov, mentioning his participation in a video conference from the city of Namangan, noted that the native of this region, the famous poet and philologist Iskhokkhon Tura Ibrat, visited the territory of modern Azerbaijan, Turkey and Central Asia.

On the example of our great ancestor, the formation of combined tours following the traces of the great scientists of the Turkic world, which will facilitate the mutual exchange of our peoples, is relevant today.

As another example, it is proposed to begin the development of a cross-border tour that would cover visits to the mausoleums of Ahmad Yassaviy in Turkestan, the Zangiota Memorial Complex in the Tashkent region and the Hakim of Bakirgoniy in the Kungrad district of Karakalpakstan.

Also, the Uzbek side put forward an initiative to consider the possibility of creating a specialized satellite TV channel that will promote the tourism potential of the countries of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking countries.

"We propose to form a Unified calendar of cultural events of the countries of the Turkic-speaking countries, within which to coordinate the organization of various festivals demonstrating the cultures and traditions of the Turkic-speaking countries," Abdukhakimov said. He informed the participants about the major festivals that have taken shape in our country in recent years, such as Makom, Bakhshi, the Festival of Folk Applied Arts, as well as plans to organize the Lazgi Khorezm Dance Festival in Khiva and the festival of ancient architecture in Bukhara city.

“It is also proposed to start a joint project to improve the digitalization of tourism, including the creation of a common Internet portal with a single map of tourist destinations of the Council countries, which will provide residents of our countries and potential tourists from other regions with detailed and reliable information about history, culture, traditions and modern life of Turkic peoples, will allow you to place virtual tours and excursions to increase the attractiveness of our tourist destinations to visit, and using online guides and VR technologies,” said Abdukhakimov.

During the online conference, the Deputy Prime Minister proposed expanding the geography, flight directions and frequency of flights, rail and bus services between the major cities of the countries participating in the Turkic Council. In particular, it was noted that new directions of transport links between historical and tourist cities of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Hungary and other participating countries will positively affect the economies of our countries. It was also proposed to begin the construction of modern “caravanserais” along the Great Silk Road to create comfortable conditions for tourists.

Stressing the rich historical and cultural heritage and huge tourism potential of our country, the Secretary General of the Turkic Council expressed confidence that with the participation of Uzbekistan, multilateral tourism projects will gain the necessary impetus for development. Secretary General Baghdad Amreev noted that all proposals voiced by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan will be included in the minutes of today’s meeting.

As a result of the event, all participants in the videoconference supported the initiative of the Uzbek side to hold the next, Sixth Meeting of the Ministers for Tourism of the CCTS in Uzbekistan in 2021.