Uzbekistan, while little known to most Westerners, has begun to formulate a travel scenario for 2020.
The tourist site Lonely Planet called this country culturally rich and historically attractive, along with the rest of Central Asia, the New Year's travel region number one
The Economist also singled out Uzbekistan, calling it country number one in 2019 due to significant progress in various reforms in economic and social spheres.
To all this, you can add its ancient history and wonderful food, which make Uzbekistan an increasingly attractive destination for travel.
Visa-free regime
After his election, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev began ambitious reforms, attracting tourists from all over the world to the country.
Such reforms include a 30-day period of visa-free entry into country of travelers from 65 countries of the world, and simplified electronic visa visa support has been introduced for citizens of other 77 countries.
The historical treasures of Uzbekistan are now more accessible than ever before.
Security
"The Uzbek authorities maintain a high level of vigilance and security measures to prevent any threats, and statistics on cases of violence against foreigners are extremely small," the US State Department reports.
Such measures were not slow in affecting the growth of tourists to Uzbekistan. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the number of foreign tourists to this country has grown from 1.9 million in 2014 to 6.4 million in 2018.
Pristine story
Perhaps the most attractive quality of Uzbekistan and the Central Asian region is untouched and sacred history that has been preserved for millennia.
From the huge temples and minarets of the cities of Samarkand and Bukhara to the snow-capped peaks of the Tien Shan mountain range - this is a region without the fussy crowd of a huge flow of people.
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The 6 Silk Road Secrets: Traveling in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in Central Asia The United Nations selects areas and attractions that are culturally and historically important to UNESCO’s heritage.
The Uzbek cities of Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva and Shakhrisabz are included in this list.
Attention to the country on social networks
In recent years, social networks have shed new light on Uzbekistan and its main attractions, and foreign travelers are actively sharing their experience of acquaintance with this country.
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Hashtags such as #VisitUzbekistan, #VisitTashkent, #VisitSamarkand and #TravelCentralAsia are very popular on social networks today.
Uzbekistan today pays special attention to the important role that social networks play in expanding the country's tourism sector.
This is why USAID is partnering with Uzbekistan to promote travel opportunities in the Central Asian region by inviting travel bloggers to explore and promote the image of Uzbekistan.
“Travel bloggers have focused on a wide range of niche travel markets - from adventure and cultural travel to independent and unusual destinations,” the US Embassy said.
“Popular tourist destinations in Central Asia participating in the trip include Samarkand, Charyn Canyon, Karakol, Fan Mountains and much more,” the embassy said.
Tasty Uzbekistan
Uzbek cuisine can be described as fragrant and satisfying with many dishes from many products. His most popular dish is Uzbek pilaf, the country's national dish, which consists of a layer of rice cooked slowly with carrots, rice, onions and meat.
Delicious travel bloggers especially use this opportunity to experiment with the unique flavors and spices used in Uzbek dishes.
Mark Waynes, a renowned blogger, travels to remote areas of the world to sample authentic local food and share his taste experiences with the world.
On his Migrationology blog, Vines shared the highlights of his trip and the “meat, history, and hospitality” he found.
Vines singled out a bazaar, known as Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent, where tourists flock to get acquainted with Uzbek traditions.
“This is a celebration for fresh meat, spices, fruits and vegetables and everything that is produced in Uzbekistan. The structure of the market dome reminds me of an exchange platform, a market museum, ”Vines added.
