Uzbekistan Courts French Tourism Market With 8K Films and IFTM Deal

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — S. Boboqalonov, Deputy Chairman of Uzbekistan's Tourism Committee, completed a working visit to France this week, holding a series of targeted meetings aimed at elevating Uzbekistan's profile among European — and specifically French — travelers.

The visit covered three distinct fronts: high-end media production, trade partnerships, and exhibition strategy.

On the content side, Boboqalonov met with Olivier Chiabodo, CEO of international media company The Explorers, to explore co-production of documentary films and promotional videos in 4K and 8K resolution. Discussions also covered immersive formats including virtual reality content and 360-degree footage — production approaches increasingly used by destination marketers targeting affluent, experience-driven travelers.

In a separate meeting, the Deputy Chairman sat down with Patrick Caradec, President of the French Tour Operators Association (SETO), to address the practical barriers and opportunities in growing French visitor numbers to Uzbekistan. Talks centered on expanding direct air connectivity, broadening the network of tour operators working with Uzbekistan, and developing qualified French-speaking guides — a recurring bottleneck in the Central Asian country's bid to attract Western European tourists.

The visit's most strategically significant outcome may be Uzbekistan's anticipated participation in IFTM 2026 — France's flagship international travel trade exhibition — in the dedicated status of partner country. Boboqalonov met with Marie Allantaz, IFTM 2026's Head of Strategic and Editorial Policy, to finalize the terms of that integration. Partner-country status at IFTM would give Uzbekistan a structured, high-visibility platform to address French travel professionals and media directly, accelerating national brand recognition across Europe.

The two sides also aligned on the production of tailored promotional content specifically designed for European audiences, with the stated goal of driving long-term growth in inbound tourism.

The Paris visit forms part of a broader Uzbek strategy to diversify its tourism source markets beyond Russia and neighboring Central Asian states, positioning the country's Silk Road heritage — anchored by Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva — as a premium destination for culturally motivated Western travelers.