Abdulaziz Akkulov: Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan already agreed to jointly attract tourists from China, India - INTERVIEW

Modern tourism in Central Asia and the Caucasus is undergoing a period of deep integration, transforming from local destinations into a global hospitality ecosystem. At the center of this process is the strategic alliance between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, which are currently shaping the new face of the Great Silk Road through unified digital solutions, cross-border routes, and expanded air travel.

In an exclusive interview with Report, Abdulaziz Akkulov, Chairman of the Tourism Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, discussed how cooperation between Tashkent and Baku extends beyond the classic exchange of tourist flows, including the creation of joint products for the markets of China, India, and Europe, the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies, and the implementation of large-scale investment projects.

Report presents the interview:

- Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are setting ambitious goals to increase mutual tourist flow. What is your target for the end of this year?

- We are traditional partners. Since last year, the tourism development agencies of both countries have been working on joint promotion and marketing campaigns. This work began in Europe.

This year, we agreed to continue our cooperation in this area. We are also learning from each other. For example, Azerbaijan has very good experience attracting tourists from India. In turn, we invite our friends to use our experience in attracting visitors from China. This has always been a mutually beneficial partnership. We have already agreed with our colleagues to continue working in Europe and jointly attract tourists from India and China to our countries.

- Today, we are seeing an increase in the number of direct flights not only between Baku and Tashkent, but also between Samarkand. Is the possibility of launching flights to other historical cities, such as Bukhara or Khiva, directly from Azerbaijan being considered?

- As the authorities responsible for industry development, we help businesses create the necessary conditions so that airlines can decide to open new flights in the future. The launch of combined tours and the growth of tourist traffic under such programs will create a natural precondition for the opening of direct flights to other cities.

- For many years, discussions have been ongoing about creating a unified cross-border tourist route along the historic Great Silk Road. The concept envisions uniting Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan within a single tourism package aimed at travelers from China, Japan, and European countries. Is the implementation of this initiative still a reality?

- Just last month, we opened a thematic office of the UN World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in Samarkand. Its main goal is to develop projects along the Silk Road. At the 59th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank, we are working with UN Tourism, the ADB, and this office to discuss how to effectively support businesses and create the infrastructure conditions for the development of combined tours.

This will create the foundation for further quantitative and qualitative growth.

- Is Uzbekistan prepared to offer Azerbaijani investors preferential terms for the construction of hotels or recreation areas in places like Charvak or Silk Road Samarkand?

- As part of the policy pursued by our president, the tourism industry is currently offered more than 20 types of benefits and preferences. All investors, including those from Azerbaijan, can take full advantage of these subsidies and preferential terms.

- Uzbekistan is actively implementing AI solutions in tourism (smart guides, traffic analytics). Are there plans to share experiences with Azerbaijani colleagues on the digitalization of the industry?

- We are currently creating a large-scale platform that will integrate various systems to help tourists choose the right tours and conveniently take advantage of all the conditions created in Uzbekistan. We are always ready to share with our friends the experience we have already gained and tested in practice.