REPORTS AND STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING INBOUND AND OUTBOUND TOURISM IN UZBEKISTAN

SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 71 REPORTS AND STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING INBOUND AND OUTBOUND TOURISM IN UZBEKISTAN M. Atanazarova1, R. Boltaeva2 Fourth-year student, Faculty of International Business, Millat Umidi University1 Fourth-year student, Faculty of International Business, Millat Umidi University2 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18052631 Abstract. This article discusses Uzbekistan's inbound and outbound tourism strategies and areas for further improvement. It also reviews Uzbekistan's policies and reports on inbound and outbound tourism. In particular, it examines measures to use international experience in the development of domestic and foreign tourism. Keywords: foreign tourism, domestic tourism, tourism management, globalization, reporting, tourism policy. INTRODUCTION In today's globalized environment, the tourism industry is becoming one of the leading and most important sectors of our country's economy. The development of the tourism industry, in turn, leads to the development of a number of related industries, and this will undoubtedly contribute to Uzbekistan's rapid development, as its development helps alleviate unemployment. Economists estimate that every 20 tourists visiting a country creates one direct job in the tourism industry and two in other tourism-dependent sectors of the economy. Today, one in ten of the world's employed population works in this industry. Currently, tourism is widespread in many countries around the world, and many types and forms of tourism have developed: historical and cultural tourism, domestic tourism, international tourism, agricultural tourism, rural tourism, ethnotourism, pilgrimage tourism, ecotourism, educational tourism, gastronomic tourism, sports tourism, cycling tourism and others. Goal 35 of the new Development Strategy of Uzbekistan for 2022–2026 envisages increasing the number of domestic tourists to 12 million and the number of foreign tourists visiting the country to 9 million within the framework of the “Travel in Uzbekistan” program. -to achieve this goal, the following measures must be taken: - Widespread implementation of barrier-free tourism infrastructure in the country's main tourist cities. - By 2026, double the number of people employed in the tourism sector to 520,000 people. - Adopt a state program for the development of tourism infrastructure and cultural heritage sites and the effective use of more than 8,000 cultural heritage sites. METHODS In her book, international economist Regina Scheyvens offers a wide range of perspectives on tourism development. She argues that tourism development is not only an economic indicator, but also one that impacts local residents' well-being, social justice, and environmental aspects. Economists I.S. Tukhliev, R. Khaitboev, B.Sh. Safarov, and G.R. Tursunova, who conducted research on tourism development in Uzbekistan, expressed the following thoughts on tourism: "In our country, cities such as Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva, Margilan, and Tashkent, which are rich in ancient cultural and architectural monuments, are of great importance. These SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 72 cities possess historical and ancient monuments that amaze the entire world.". The roots of the history of tourism development go back to the countries of Central Asia, meaning that since ancient times, tourism has served to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the peoples of our planet". B. Safarov and Sh. Dzhumakulov described the development of tourism in their scientific work as follows: “As the experience of the global economy shows, the tourism sector serves to provide the country’s treasury with foreign currency, create new jobs, and simultaneously improve the standard of living of the population. Our country's tourism potential is fundamentally different from that of its neighbors. Uzbekistan's geographic location, with its exceptionally favorable and beautiful natural and climatic conditions, plays a vital role in the cultural development of humanityUzbekistan boasts unique historical architecture, hospitable people who love sweet fruits, a diverse cuisine, and wonderful national traditions and customs. All of this attracts the attention of foreign tourists and delights the locals. The current political stability in Uzbekistan plays an important role in the development of tourism. However, in order to raise tourism development to a higher level, it is still necessary to carry out many reforms, take urgent measures and actively implement them”. To further develop inbound and outbound tourism in the Republic of Uzbekistan, a number of laws have been adopted providing for a range of benefits. These include: - to obtain a cartographic license to increase the circulation of thematic tourist maps containing signs and indicators of the location of tourist sites (architectural monuments, etc.) and infrastructure facilities (hotels and other accommodation facilities, tourist routes, etc.), and their distribution, no license (permit) is required; Organizations providing tourism services (state museums, galleries, administrations of cultural heritage sites and protected natural areas, etc.) are required to allocate at least 5 percent of their revenues to the preparation and distribution of advertising and handouts in Uzbek, Russian, and English describing their activities and the tourism services they provide. The amount of expenses for these purposes is excluded from the taxable base of these organizations. ANALYSIS AND RESULTS An analysis of statistical reports for previous periods allows us to assess the development of inbound and outbound tourism in Uzbekistan. This will help us determine the number of tourists and set tourism development goals for the next two to three years. Below, we will analyze several statistical reports in graphical form: Development of outbound and inbound tourism in Uzbekistan in 2021-2024. 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 2021 2022 2023 2024 inbound tourism outbound tourism SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 73 Years Outbound tourism Inbound tourism 2021 2194,8 1881,3 2022 5163,2 5232,8 2023 4787,4 6626,3 2024 6183,8 7957,2 Note: Overall, these graphical data show that the tourism sector is experiencing a steady growth trend in both directions. From 2021 to 2024, outbound tourism increased by 2.8 times, while inbound tourism increased by 4.2 times. This result indicates that the attractiveness of the tourism sector in the country has increased, indicating that tourism continues to grow. A more detailed analysis reveals that while outbound tourism is growing steadily, some years show fluctuations. For example, a slight decline was observed in 2023. This could, of course, be due to travel restrictions or the pandemic. Regarding inbound tourism, we've seen the number of trips grow rapidly since 2021. This, in turn, indicates an increase in the number of foreign tourists in Uzbekistan, as well as improvements to tourism infrastructure and marketing policies. Distribution of the number of tourist trips by purpose (2024, thousands of trips) Note: The above graphical data shows that the majority of outbound tourism—83%—was for recreation and leisure. Visiting relatives came in second place at 15%. Based on these figures, it can be concluded that the primary purpose of Uzbek travel abroad in 2024 was travel and leisure. Regarding inbound tourism, the primary purpose of travel was leisure and entertainment (77%). Visiting relatives came in second, and business trips came in third (5%), indicating the development of business ties in the country. Thus, foreign tourists visited Uzbekistan primarily for leisure and travel. When comparing inbound and outbound tourism, recreational tourism ranks first. Inbound tourism is characterized by a higher number of business trips, demonstrating our country's economic attractiveness. The number of educational and business trips is lower in both types of 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 Outbound tourism Inbound tourism 13.7 338.5 35.9 25.1 949.4 1184.4 5123.9 6105.3 60.9 104.9 business trip Education Leisure and recreation Visiting relatives Commerce SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 74 tourism, necessitating the development of these areas. Overall, we see that Uzbekistan has achieved good results in recreational tourism. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS The graphical data show that inbound and outbound tourism is primarily for leisure and entertainment purposes. Inbound and outbound tourism for educational, health, and business purposes has low indicators. To improve these indicators, Uzbekistan could implement a number of strategic management measures. For example: Picture 1. Strategies for the further development of inbound and outbound tourism in Uzbekistan Based on international experience, Turkey has become the country receiving the largest number of tourists. Implementing a number of strategic management measures similar to those employed in Turkey could significantly boost both outbound and inbound tourism in Uzbekistan. These include: Picture 2. Measures for tourism development Increasing the number of international educational programs and grants for foreign students Expanding the implementation of exchange education programs between highly ranked universities in Uzbekistan and foreign universities Simplifying the visa process Introducing a visa-free regime with more countries Increasing the number of international trade fairs, investment summits, and startup forums Opening new flight routes in cooperation with international airlines Providing tax and customs benefits to businesses that promote tourism development The creation of numerous free economic zones for local and foreign investors Defining the tourism sector as the "driver" sector of the country's economy Defining the tourism sector as the "driver" sector of the country's economy SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 75 Studying the development of international tourism, we see that not only Turkey but also strategic destinations such as the United Arab Emirates and Singapore are making a significant contribution to tourism development. It is well known that the UAE and Singapore currently boast the most expensive and luxurious hotel chains and digital service systems in the world. This demonstrates that they have made their countries attractive for both inbound and outbound tourism. People from all over the world dream of visiting the luxury hotels, restaurants, beaches, and shopping malls built in the UAE and Singapore, meaning that these countries offer tourists the highest level of comfort. The introduction of digital technologies currently used in these countries in Uzbekistan could further enhance the attractiveness of inbound and outbound tourism. Therefore, it is necessary to implement a "smart city" concept in every tourist city, which includes: - booking via mobile apps - online guidebooks - QP guide systems In conclusion, it can be said that inbound and outbound tourism in Uzbekistan has significantly developed. The measures taken in recent years have borne fruit. However, some areas of tourism remain deficiencies. These shortcomings will undoubtedly be addressed in the future through the implementation of the strategic management measures outlined above. This article provides a comprehensive examination of inbound and outbound tourism in Uzbekistan, presents new ideas for its development, and draws the necessary conclusions. REFERENCES 1. Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, dated January 28, 2022, No. UP60."ON THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF THE NEW UZBEKISTAN FOR 2022– 2026." 2. Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated 07.02.2018 No. PP-3514 “ON MEASURES TO ENSURE THE ACCELERATED DEVELOPMENT OF DOMESTIC TOURISM” 3. I.S. Tukhliev, B.Sh. Safarov, R. Khayitboev, G.R. Tursunova. Fundamentals of Tourism. Textbook. Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan. – Tashkent: Science and Technology. 2014. p. 53. 4. Regina Scheyvens. Tourism and Poverty.288 Pages 20 B/W Illustrations Published May 22, 2013 by Routledge. 5. Bahodirhon Safarov, Djumaqulov O.Sh. Tourism industry development is increasing, new jobs will increase incomes and living standards // Архивариус. 2020. №2 (47). URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/tourism-industry-development-is-increasing-new-jobs-willincrease-incomes-and-living-standards (дата обращения: 30.10.2025). 6. https://stat.uz/img/news/tourism-and-recreation_p37860.pdf?ut