Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan and South Korea are preparing a joint project to manage tourist flows within the Ichan-Kala State Museum-Reserve in Khiva using artificial intelligence technologies.
The initiative was discussed during a meeting between Sukhrobjon Bobokalonov, Deputy Chairman of Uzbekistan's Tourism Committee, and Min Ji Young, Director of the International Cooperation Department at the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).
The project is being developed under KOPIST, an international sustainable tourism cooperation program initiated by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and executed by the KTO. The program identifies priority initiatives in partner nations and prepares them for official development assistance (ODA) financing from the South Korean government.
Uzbekistan originally presented the project, titled "Managing Tourist Flows in Ichan-Kala Through Artificial Intelligence Technologies," at a high-level tourism policy forum in South Korea in May 2026. In June 2026, the proposal won first place in a competition featuring representatives from 10 countries, qualifying Uzbekistan for the Global Intensive Consulting program.
The project's primary objective is to establish a real-time monitoring and crowd-management system across Ichan-Kala, alongside digitalizing tourism infrastructure and training local personnel.
Planned technical measures include installing non-invasive smart navigation signs and sensor networks paired with AI data analytics that preserve historic monuments. The initiative will also establish alternative tour routes bypassing Ichan-Kala's central street and offer specialized training for local artisans and museum staff.
The project addresses expected growth in visitor numbers following the expansion of Urgench International Airport and upgraded railway connections. Project organizers anticipate the AI system will support higher tourist volumes, protect cultural heritage, extend average stays in Khiva, and distribute tourism revenue more broadly across the local community.
