On March 1, the Uzbekistani government approved a new system of subsidies for local tourists, Kazinform news agency reported citing the State Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan.
It’s going to be much cheaper to travel inside Uzbekistan. All airline tickets are now available with a 25% discount. If you’ve bought a ticket from a local tour operator, you can get an additional discount of 15%, so the total discount for air travel will count 40%. Those who prefer railways can buy their tickets with a 15% discount. And all of them can expect a 10% discount on hotel accommodation.
«In the case of a specific tour, travel from Fergana Valley to the ancient city of Khiva, a regular family of five people can get a two-million-sum ($190) discount while the total cost of the tour is 6.6 million sum ($630),» the State Tourism Committee officials said.
At the same time, all Uzbek tourists are now obliged to pay about $40 as a tourist fee. According to the government, this money will be allocated to domestic tourism development.
Uzbekistan placed a bet on domestic tourism in 2020, when some tax benefits for local entrepreneurs were announced. For example, they can enjoy:
– Zero land and property taxes;
– 50% less income tax;
– 1% of social payments instead of 12% in the past;
– Unprecedented loans in the amount of 16.1 billion sum ($1.5 million) for industry workers;
– Two billion sum ($190,702) of subsidies;
– Credit holidays and financial support from the state until the end of 2021.
One of the tourism goals Uzbekistan is pursuing is border regions’ potential development. For example, to reduce transit traffic through the Tashkent region, Uzbek authorities want to open a new transport corridor between Uchkuduk and Kyzyl-Orda. This project has already been approved by several investors.
Also, both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan announced a plan of combined tours in two countries. This kind of travel can let people visit a wide range of places over one trip.
