A meeting took place in Tashkent between Sukhrobjon Bobokalnov, Deputy Chairman of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan, and Gérard Wolff, Special Representative of the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs on Sustainable Cities and Transport. The goal of the negotiations was to discuss expanding partnership in the field of tourism, including mountain tourism, as reported by the commission.
Valid Fuk, the French Ambassador to Uzbekistan, also participated in the meeting. Participants discussed methods for more effective use of the tourist potential of cultural heritage sites, the development of tourism infrastructure, and the training of qualified personnel for this industry.
Representatives of Uzbekistan presented information on reforms being carried out in the tourism sector, measures aimed at increasing the number of foreign guests, as well as initiatives to unlock the tourism potential of the country's regions.
Wolff emphasized the opportunities for bilateral cooperation and suggested studying France's experience in increasing tourism's contribution to the economy, improving the attractiveness of cultural heritage sites, and training specialists for the hospitality and tourism sectors.
B. André, CEO of the architectural firm Wilmotte & Associés Architectes, expressed interest in developing educational programs in tourism and hospitality, as well as in improving Uzbekistan's tourism infrastructure. This company is already negotiating with Uzbekistan on urban planning issues.
Mountain tourism became another topic of discussion. Information was presented to the participants about the work of the French company MND within the 'Chimgan Tourist Zone' project. Furthermore, they discussed plans for the next stage, which involves implementing the Uzbek-Courchevel project in cooperation with POMA.
The meeting concluded with an exchange of views regarding the diversification of tourism services, enhancing the potential of cultural heritage sites, training industry specialists, and expanding cooperation in the fields of tourism, architecture, and infrastructure.