A special issue of the Halal Rest & Rehlah (RR) magazine published a series of articles and materials on the tourism potential of Uzbekistan.
In one of the articles on the development of pilgrimage tourism in Uzbekistan, it is noted that this term covers Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. For more than 3 millennia Uzbekistan has been a crossroads of religions and civilizations, where, accordingly, a wide variety of cultural heritage sites, namely Buddhist temples, Christian churches, and Jewish synagogues, have been preserved in the territory of the country. Along with this, 80 percent of cultural attractions in Uzbekistan are associated with the religion of Islam. They belong to the periods of Islamic enlightenment, or Renaissance, in the 9th-12th and 14th-16th centuries.
The article also mentions that the Government of Uzbekistan initiated the construction of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, which will become the center for all relics, exhibits, valuable manuscripts and publications, paintings and Islamic miniatures. The museum will also exhibit other pieces of art such as calligraphy, textiles, ceramics and more.
The unique architecture and material heritage that have survived to this day were also described in the article as a real tourist "magnet" in Uzbekistan. Some of these attractions are located in Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and the Ferghana Valley.
Another article introduces readers to the beauty and magnificence of Bukhara and Samarkand cities. In particular, it tells about the possibilities of Umrah + tour packages, as well as the participation of the Uzbek delegation in the 3rd World Islamic Tourism Conference (WITC) in Malaysia. It is reported that the visit became fruitful - the Conference was marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Malaysian Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agencies (MATTA) and the Uzbek side.
The publication offers pilgrims making Umrah in Saudi Arabia a good opportunity to get acquainted with the legendary cities of Uzbekistan - Bukhara and Samarkand.
The strengthening of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the Islamic Tourism Center of Malaysia is reported in the following material, which is devoted to the prospects for cooperation between the two countries in the field of tourism.
The source informs that the relevant agreements were reached during the recent visit of the Malaysian delegation, which took place on November 1-7, 2022 to participate in the International Ziyorat Tourism Week in several regions of the country.
“Uzbekistan is developing standards of requirements for tourism services and Muslim hospitality. Prayer halls and ablution rooms were organized at international airports, railway stations and hotels. This year, at the global summit "Halal in Travel Awards", dedicated to the restoration and development of the tourism market of the Muslim world in Singapore, the city of Samarkand won the nomination "Best developing Muslim city of the year," the article says.
