Uzbekistan Promotes National Cuisine to Global Tourism Market

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan's Tourism Committee is implementing the Gastro Marketplace and Tourist Friendly Restaurants projects to promote the country's national cuisine in the international market and develop gastronomy tourism.

Around 80 participants have already been selected to conduct culinary masterclasses, while about 40 restaurants will join the initiative, according to the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan.

The committee said gastronomy tourism remains one of the fastest-growing segments of the global tourism industry.

It noted that modern travelers increasingly seek not only to taste national dishes but also to learn about their history, preparation methods and local culinary traditions.

In this regard, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's report, Tourism Trends and Policies, highlights the importance of diversifying tourism products, engaging local businesses through digital platforms and developing services based on unique travel experiences.

According to the Tourism Committee, Uzbekistan has significant potential in gastronomy tourism. The country's cuisine, shaped along the Great Silk Road, includes well-known dishes such as plov, samsa, lagman, shivit oshi and tukhumbarak.

Uzbekistan was previously recognized as the best gastronomy tourism destination in the National Geographic Traveler Awards, while Uzbek cuisine is regularly featured on the international TasteAtlas platform.

As part of the Gastro Marketplace project, a database of around 80 individuals interested in conducting culinary masterclasses has already been created. It will be used to promote their services through international digital platforms. Participants will also receive training in international standards for serving foreign tourists.

At the same time, about 40 restaurants in Samarkand, Bukhara, Khorezm and Tashkent have been selected to participate in the Tourist Friendly Restaurants project. Simplified and balanced sets of traditional dishes, English-language menus, professional design concepts and standardized recipe cards are being prepared for participating restaurants.

The Tourism Committee expects the projects to help integrate Uzbekistan's national cuisine into the digital economy, expand the international presence of local businesses, introduce modern service standards and strengthen the country's gastronomy brand.

The projects are also expected to support the development of family businesses, guest houses and restaurants by integrating them into the international tourism ecosystem.