Sophie Ibbotson, the ambassador of the tourism brand of Uzbekistan in the UK, shared her expectations from the upcoming large-scale event.
"There are two reasons why the 25th UNWTO General Assembly is important for Uzbekistan. Firstly, representatives of tourist administrations from all over the world will gather here. We expect the participation of 160 delegations from UNWTO member countries. This gives Uzbekistan the opportunity not only to contribute to the international tourism policy, but also to shape it for the next two years. Another reason for the significance of this event is that Uzbekistan finds an opportunity to demonstrate its hospitality and the direction of MICE tourism. MICE are conferences and events within the framework of business meetings. This is not the form of tourism that Uzbekistan has developed in the past, but it will develop in the future. We can show that Uzbekistan has all the opportunities and specialists to hold high-level events, and push organizers from all over the world to hold planned events in Uzbekistan."
Sophie Ibbotson also spoke about which tourism destinations in Uzbekistan attract foreign tourists from EU countries.
"The attractiveness of Uzbekistan for tourists from the EU is that for them it is a new, exciting and quite exotic destination, but at the same time it is very safe and affordable. This balance of qualities makes this destination desirable to visit. Of course, these are not all qualities, the fact of a huge variety of tourist products attracts. We know about the sights of the Silk Road, natural sites, places of public visit, and I am very glad that the UNWTO General Assembly is going to celebrate the "Best Tourist Villages". This is a great new destination for Uzbekistan, which allows international tourists and local tourists to communicate with rural residents and about their lifestyle."
In addition, S. Ibbotson shared her impressions of the latest changes in Uzbekistan over the past 5-10 years and the positive qualities of traveling to our country for a tourist.
"I regularly visit Uzbekistan, so I can say about big gradual changes in the country, especially looking back at what Uzbekistan was like 5-10 years ago. Firstly, it's easier to get here. In addition to the fact that there are more flights, a visa is no longer needed here. The second is logistics within the country. A high-speed train is a huge advantage, which is also planned to be launched to Khiva and Nukus. And this will make the western part of the country much more accessible to tourists. Thirdly, much more high-quality accommodation facilities have been built throughout Uzbekistan. Famous 4-, 5-star hotels are open not only in Tashkent, but also in Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva. And this gives tourists the opportunity to stay in various places, especially in hotels of those brands that they are familiar with."
