The event was attended by deputy Prime minister, minister of tourism and sports Aziz Abdukhakimov, minister of culture Ozodbek Nazarbekov, first deputy minister of tourism and sports Ulugbek Azamov, deputy minister of tourism and sports Avazzhon Karimov, general director of the agency of Cinematography Firdavs Abdukhalikov, deputy Khokim of the region Botir Nurullayev informed about the work carried out in these areas.

“Based on the tasks set by the head of our state and the results of field studies, we have identified a number of tasks for the development of tourism, sports, culture and cinematography. In 2021, it is planned to attract 1.3 million local tourists, restore 1,000 jobs in the tourism sector by attracting 220,000 foreign tourists as the situation with the pandemic improves, and also implement the necessary measures to dramatically increase the flow of tourists and passengers, attract foreign airlines to Samarkand International Airport on the basis of the concept “Samarkand Airport is a gateway to international tourism in Uzbekistan,” - Aziz Abdukhakimov said.

In addition, the minister of tourism and sports spoke about the following plans:

1. Tourism development: In order to actively attract foreign tourists to the shrines of the Samarkand and Bukhara regions within the framework of the “Umra +” program, create a representative office of the Ministry of tourism and sports in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, indicating the sources of funding, the potential of pilgrim tourism in the Samarkand region and “Umra +” through Samarkand.

• Organization of a series of promotional events in Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan and the Russian Federation, Turkey and the CIS countries to promote opportunities and additional benefits for travel agencies, transport and logistics companies and airlines organizing Umra + tours.
• In the off-season, it is planned to organize the “Month of domestic tourism”, “Week of domestic tourism” and “Days of domestic tourism”.
• The region will have 8 hotels, theme parks, recreation and entertainment centers, a craft center and artificial pools that will create modern tourism services.

Samarkand will become a center for MICE tourism and international political conferences through the organization of an international congress center and exhibition complexes with an area of 18,000 square meters. After the launch of this center, 2000 jobs will be created.

In 2020, the village of Konigil, located in the Samarkand region, was one of the first in the country to receive the status of a “Tourist Village” and began its activities. As part of the second stage of the Konigil tourist village, 460 jobs will be created through the creation of about 100 tourist facilities and service points on an area of 7.1 hectares.

In addition, the Bogibaland and Shark mahallas in Samarkand will be transformed into tourist mahallas, Tersak in the Urgut region and Choshtepa in the Payarik region - into tourist villages. As a result, 265 new jobs will be created, and citizens included in the “Women's book” and “Youth book” in these makhallas will be provided with jobs first of all.

32.2 billion soums have been allocated for the restoration and improvement of 21 cultural heritage sites. For the construction of tourist and adjacent infrastructure at 10 cultural heritage sites - 15.3 billion soums, for improving road infrastructure at 10 sites - 34.0 billion soums, 9.6 billion soums will be spent on improving water supply, sewerage and engineering - communication networks, etc.

2. Concerning cultural heritage: The concept of creating the museum of the Great Silk Road on Mirzo Bobur street in Samarkand has been developed.

Each tourist who visits the museum will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the most ancient period of our country, its place and significance on the Great Silk Road on the basis of holograms, 3D modeling, VR systems and other modern technologies. In total, there are 1 607 objects of material cultural heritage in the Samarkand region, the formation of state cadastral documents and their state registration are underway. Of the objects of material cultural heritage with tourist potential, 13 regions will be equipped with WI-FI and QR codes, 50 with audio guides and 25 with modern turnstiles for electronic registration of tourists and population.

3. Regarding the preparation for international conferences: Within the framework of thorough preparation for international conferences, which are planned to be held in the Samarkand region, a huge creative work is being done, as well as work on the improvement and improvement of the city's infrastructure.

• 978.9 billion soums were allocated by the corresponding decrees of the President. Overhaul of 83.4 km of roads - wall to wall, 41.5 km. construction of information and communication networks, construction of all 20 facilities and 4 new substations for the reconstruction and modernization of 100.3 km of electrical networks, 25 km. construction of drinking water supply networks, 14.1 km. will be carried out for the construction of gas pipelines.

Also, based on the historical significance of Samarkand, the appearance of the city will be adjusted on the basis of a project code developed by a special working group to preserve the national and modern architecture of buildings and structures, advertising banners, road signs.

4. On the development of sports: in 2021, on the basis of the investment program, 5 sports facilities will be reconstructed for 28 billion soums.

• In particular, a 154-seat football academy with all amenities will be built and put into operation;
• In 2021, 60.4 billion soums will be allocated from the budget and the private sector. 181 sports facilities and grounds (including 56 training, 33 streetball, 32 badminton, 60 mini-football fields).
• In 2021, 104.35 km in districts (cities) of the region will be completed the construction of “Health Corridors” and “Bike paths” with a length of 109.84 km.
• In 2021-2023, it is planned to reconstruct 8 sports facilities, reconstruct 23 existing sports facilities.
• This year, 66.5 billion soums will be invested in public-private partnerships. In total, 11 sports facilities will be built (3 modern football fields, 7 sports complexes, 1 modern swimming pool).

As a result, by the end of the year the number of people involved in physical culture and sports in relation to the population will reach 30%. In the first half of 2021, an additional 2,510 sports clubs will be created, employing 460,000 (27%) young people. By the end of the year this figure will reach 503 thousand (30%).

Mahalla “Yuksalish” in Samarkand was identified as a model in the “Mahallabay” system (attachment) within the framework of the program to involve the population, especially youth, in sports. Based on the interests of young people, in a neighboring secondary school, circles will be organized in 6 additional sports, to which 7 coaches of the children's and youth sports school will be assigned.

Every morning, physical education classes are organized among the population, 15 coaches are appointed in accordance with the schedule. To increase the interest of the population, especially unorganized youth, in sports, competitions in sports such as the Rais mahalla cup”, the “School leader's cup”, and the “Street tournament” will be organized. The sports corner and the “Mahalla chess cup” will be held regularly.

This year, the International university of tourism “Silk Road” will hold quarterly competitions in badminton, chess, mini-football, table tennis, arm wrestling “Rector's Cup” among unorganized youth in areas related to the university. For the further development of chess sport, the “Chess Cafe” will be organized.

5. In the field of culture and art: this year the implementation of the project “Mahalla circles” in cooperation with 90 mahallas and 45 cultural centers of the region, the organization of 180 circles and the involvement of at least 1500 participants in these circles;

• By the end of the year, 960 students will be enrolled in 32 children's music and art schools and 64 secondary schools will organize circles of the Children's Amateur Ensemble, and work will be carried out jointly with the regional administration to provide these ensembles with musical instruments;
• In the Samarkand region, the project “School cultural center” will be implemented, organized jointly with the Ministry of public education on the basis of the experience of the Tashkent region;
• In each of the 11 higher educational institutions of Samarkand, student amateur groups have been created for performing skills, traditional singing and dancing, based on the interests of students;
• Together with the Ministry of Higher Education, events will be held twice a week in all universities of the region and once a week for students in hostels, creative meetings with famous figures of culture and art, performances, concert programs, Makom evenings;
• Concert programs of members of the “Club of people's artists” in May-June of this year, together with the regional administration;
• Since May this year, the regional branch of the State philharmonic society of Uzbekistan and all districts of regional ensembles of makomists will organize open-air concert programs in cities;
• From June of this year, the Uzbek state circus will organize a tour of the region with the aim of performing shows of circus art programs for students.

“Most importantly, it will create many new jobs and raise the standard of living of the local population, this is our main goal,” concluded Aziz Abdukhakimov.