International conference on pilgrimage tourism kicks off in Samarkand

On May 24, International Scientific and Practical Conference “The renaissance of the pilgrim tourism in the crossroads of the Great Silk Road”, organized by the State Committee for Tourism Development, Samarkand State University and the “Silk Road” International University of Tourism, kicked off in Samarkand.

According to the Tourism Committee, the number of tourists visiting from Muslim countries to Uzbekistan has sharply increased in recent years. Compared with 2017, there was a considerable increase in their number in 2018. Percentage of Malaysian tourists grew by 66%, while this indicator is 88% for Indonesia.

Last year, Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia, Iran, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates lead in terms of the number of tourist arrivals from Muslim countries. Citizens of these countries, along with other types of tourism, visit Uzbekistan in the direction of pilgrimage tourism.

The primary objective of the conference is to restore pilgrimage tourism in the city of Samarkand, which is rich in unique, religious tourism resources and is a tourist center, as well as to develop practical, scientific and methodological proposals for its further development.

The conference is attended by leading experts in tourism, scientists and leaders of travel organizations from China, Russia, France, Italy, South Korea, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and other countries. More than a hundred scientists, researchers and specialists are expected to address the conference.