The 30th Tashkent International Tourism Fair “Tourism on the Silk Road” opened at the CAEx International Exhibition Center, featuring a business program, national pavilions from foreign countries, and large-scale industry events, reports the Dunyo News Agency.

The Tashkent International Tourism Fair has been held since 1995 with the support of the World Tourism Organization and, for three decades, has served as a key platform for promoting tourism products, shaping Uzbekistan’s international image, and expanding business connections. The event’s growing prestige and scale are evidenced by the participation of hundreds of specialists, companies, and organizations from various countries.

This year, representatives from nearly forty countries are participating, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, India, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, South Korea, Russia, Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, the Czech Republic, Germany, Pakistan, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and the Netherlands. 58 regional and industry pavilions and 65 craft pavilions have been prepared, reflecting broad participation and an expected increase in visitors.

The anniversary program includes the International Aviation Forum “UzAero”, the Gastronomy Festival “Delicious Uzbekistan”, the Tourism Education Forum, the Global Tourism Media Campus, the Ethnic Games Festival, and the Tourism Forum of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. A key event will be the first “Central Asia – European Union” Tourism Forum, with representatives from more than twenty EU countries. Simultaneously, the third meeting of the Uzbek-Russian Subcommission on Tourism and the first meeting of the Tourism Advisory Committee of the Organization of Economic Cooperation are taking place.

Fair participants explore national pavilions, attend industry forums and expert sessions with international specialists, participate in masterclasses by world-class chefs, enjoy gastronomic presentations, and view exhibitions of Uzbek handicrafts. New tourist zones and destinations from all regions of the country are presented on-site. As usual, B2B meetings are organized to expand cooperation and conclude new agreements.

The event takes place against the backdrop of dynamic reforms in the tourism sector. Under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, large-scale transformations are being implemented: a visa-free regime has been introduced for citizens of nearly one hundred countries, more than 1,200 new tourist facilities have been created, and over 100 tourist routes have been established. In 2024, the number of foreign tourists reached 10 million, and it is expected to rise to 20 million by 2030. The adoption of regulations on the Tourism Committee’s activities strengthens ongoing initiatives and opens opportunities for further sector growth.

The anniversary fair is considered a significant platform for expanding international cooperation and developing the tourism industry, not only in Uzbekistan but throughout the Central Asian region.