The president criticizes the high costs of transportation

High transport costs in Uzbekistan remain a major barrier to attracting foreign tourists. This was stated by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev today, April 26, at a meeting on measures to further develop the tourism sector, expand the domestic tourist market, increase the number of tourist facilities and improve the activities of museums.

According to Mirziyoyev, the development of tourism is impossible without quality transport and logistics services.  High transport costs remain a major barrier to attracting foreign tourists.

The meeting criticized that low-cost transport line hadn’t been organized in international and domestic routes, as well as people need to apply a few weeks in advance in order to get a ticket for the modern “Afrasiyab” train.

Therefore, the Ministry of Transport has been tasked for a month to:
• introduce air traffic in the routes of Fergana-Bukhara-Fergana, Fergana-Urgench-Fergana;
• establish the modern bus and mini bus services on the routes of Bukhara-Samarkand, Bukhara-Khiva, Bukhara-Termez.

Also, “Uzbek railways” company will resume the speed train «Afrasiyab» to Shakhrisabz within a month.  Until 1 September the relevant officials will launch the service of regular two-story tourist buses, which allows more than 2000 tourists per day to travel the historical sites.

In addition, the meeting set a number of tasks to meet the demand of foreign and domestic tourists for air transport service including:
• from 1 July, up to 50% discounts will be introduced under the “Pilgrimage Tourism” program on services provided to foreign airlines;
• by the end of the year, the number of domestic flights will be increased from 48 to 60 per week, the number of connecting flights from 4 to 6;
• by 1 October the new airline company «Silk Avia» will be established;
• In order to reduce the cost of air travel, 9 aircraft will be converted fully to economy class (tariffs will be reduced by 20%).

The Ministries of Tourism and Transport have been instructed to present the concept of improving the transport infrastructure in the tourism sector within one month.