By IANS,
New Delhi : India and Uzbekistan Monday agreed to cooperate in the area of tourism, including establishing tourism offices and increasing the number of flights between the two countries.
India will also provide trained personnel in hotel management to support the industry in Uzbekistan.
An action plan on tourism cooperation between the two countries was signed here in the presence of Uzbekistan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Rustom Azimov and India’s Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay by Indian Tourism Development Corporation Chief Managing Director Lalit K. Panwar and Uzbek Tourism Chairman Rustam Mirzaev.
“There is huge potential for developing cooperation between the two countries in the tourism sector,” Sahay said on the occasion, highlighting the strong ties between India and Uzbekistan.
He said India would organise more road shows and more Indian tour operators will visit Uzbekistan.
The minister also said the Institute of Hotel Management and Food Craft Institute under the tourism ministry could be utilised by Uzbekistan for human resource development to meet its tourism requirements.
Azimov said his country is looking forward to more cooperation with India in tourism development.
“India is very popular among Uzbeks who see India as a growing global power. Tourist locations such as Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara are some of the well known destinations that can attract Indian tourists,” said Azimov.
He also sought more flight connections between India and Uzbekistan.
The action plan also underlines more exchanges of media to highlight the tourism potential in the two countries, setting up of joint ventures in travel and tourism sector and establishment of representative offices.
The plan also includes construction or utilisation of each other’s tourist facilities, creation of tourism infrastructure to promote destinations, education and re-training of personnel and organisation of advertising and other promotional activities.
Even though the number of Uzbek tourists visiting India is less, it is steadily growing, officials pointed out.
In 2007, a total of 2,562 Uzbeks visited India, followed by 2,756 in 2008 and 3,642 in 2009.