Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - The Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Almaty organized a "round table" on the development of cooperation between our countries in the field of tourism with the participation of representatives of tourism companies, socio-political circles and the media of Kazakhstan, Dunyo reported.

The participants of the event were acquainted with the successive measures being taken in Uzbekistan to accelerate the development of the tourism industry, increase its role and contribution to the economy, diversify and improve the quality of services, and improve the tourism infrastructure.

Particular attention was paid to the urgent tasks voiced in the Message of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Miriziyoyev to the country's parliament, on turning the tourism industry into a strategic sector of the economy, ensuring the growth of the flow of tourists to the republic, and actively promoting cultural heritage sites.

The guests were informed about the measures taken in the republic to further liberalize the visa policy, introduce a visa-free regime for citizens of 86 countries, and carry out work to introduce a common “Silk Way visa” for visiting by foreign tourists in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

Uzbekistan's Ambassador of Tourism to Kazakhstan Lazzat Akhanova made a presentation of the Golden Square project, which aims to comprehensively approach the development of the tourism industry in the countries of the region, popularize tourist facilities and help attract investment in the region.

The tourist route includes several major cities in which unique historical and cultural monuments of the region, centers of folk crafts, where the investment potential is realized: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Nur-Sultan, Almaty, Turkestan, Otrar, Taraz and Shymkent, are preserved.

Ahanova invited Kazakhstan companies to take part in this project on the principle of “single window”, which will allow to solve all the issues related to the organization of combined tours of the historic cities of the Silk Road.

Heads of travel companies who spoke at the event were interested in the practical aspects of the project, the provision of benefits and preferences, the conditions for interaction with the Uzbek side, and the organization of an information tour in Uzbekistan.

As a result of the discussions, it was decided to create a working group to develop step-by-step measures for the implementation of the Golden Square project.