Observing mine explosions, paid shooting, and visiting government buildings – New tourism initiatives in Uzbekistan

Under the government decree on the introduction of new types of tourism, starting from January 1, 2025, Uzbekistan will launch five new tourism sectors: industrial, geological, scientific, military, and public administration tourism.

Specifically, the Ministry of Justice will offer public administration tourism services, including visits to government buildings and facilities. The Ministry of Defense will provide paid shooting services, while the Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology will organize visits to mines and explosion events involving mountain rocks.

The responsible agencies for these initiatives include the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change; the Tourism Committee; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology; the Ministry of Defense; and others. These authorities are expected to finalize and adopt relevant interdepartmental documents within the next two months.

To monitor the implementation of the government decree, Kun.uz sent inquiries to the ministries and agencies involved.

According to the Tourism Committee, a set of regulations was developed on November 25 that outlines procedures for visiting these sites, including entry and exit protocols, visit organization, and general visitor requirements. These regulations have been recommended to the relevant ministries for approval and adoption as internal guidelines.

Additionally, by decree of the Tourism Committee, several institutions have been designated as official sites for government and scientific tourism. These include the Committee's administrative building, the "Silk Road" International Tourism and Cultural Heritage University, the International Tourism Academy in Samarkand, and the Scientific Research Institute for Tourism Development.

According to the Tourism Committee, the following steps are being taken by other ministries and agencies to implement the government decree:

-The Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology has designated key tourist sites, including the "Navoi Mining and Metallurgy Combine" JSC, "Almalyk MMC" JSC, and the "Kitob National Nature Park" as tourist destinations;

The Academy of Sciences has identified several scientific tourism locations, including the "Abu Rayhan Beruni Institute of Oriental Studies," the "Khorezm Mamun Academy," the "State Museum of the History of Uzbekistan," the "Karakalpak Research Institute of Humanities," the "Archaeology Museum," the "Tashkent Botanical Garden," and the Solar Furnace in Parkent.