In 2023, the Association of Private Tourism Agencies of Uzbekistan, together with ACTED, implemented the European Union project: “Community-based Silk Road Tourism Initiative: Creating connections between community-based tourism in Central Asia and the European market” of the Central Asia Invest V Program.
The beneficiaries of the project were: 170 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the tourism sector in Uzbekistan, mainly rural communities in Uzbekistan.
Project Objectives: To promote the competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the community-based tourism sector in Central Asia as drivers of inclusive economic growth, and to improve the provision of business intermediary services that support the growth of MSME community tourism (CBT) businesses).
Within the framework of this project the following was implemented:
– 3-day training organized by the Association of Private Tourism Organizations of Uzbekistan and ACTED. Representatives of regional departments of the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Uzbekistan took part in the seminar. The participants mastered topics such as trends, creative tourism, creative products, a look into the future, Territory Marketing and Digital TIC as the basis for the activities of a modern tourist information center, Digital solutions for a digital TIC, new products and their development, digital analytics and design technologies customer experience, tools for solving key problems;
– a working trip to study the potential of CBT tourism in the Fergana region, during the working trip a set of marketing studies of the area’s capabilities in the direction of CBT was carried out, the tourism potential of mahallas was studied: attractions that can be included in the development of the territory, infrastructure, the potential of local entrepreneurs to open a family guest house;
– training seminars for CBT representatives in the cities of Khanabad and Nanai: during the seminar, participants in the first 2 groups, more than 40 people, successfully mastered such topics as the basics of organizing a family guest house, architectural planning, engineering and sanitary conditions, guest management home, receiving guests, catering, leisure, etc.;
– a competition of business plans for representatives of CBT-Uzbekistan: in the Fergana, Andijan and Namangan regions, within the framework of the project, 3-day training seminars on financial literacy and business planning were launched for representatives of CBT (owners of family guest houses / potential owners of family guest houses). During the training seminar, 100 people were trained. Based on the results of these training seminars, the participants developed business plans for opening/developing a family guest house, which were presented at a business plan competition for representatives of CBT Uzbekistan.
From the submitted business plans, members of the competition commission, which included business consultants and representatives of ACTED and APTA, selected 7 winners. Each winner was awarded a grant from ACTED in the amount of 1000 euros (in soums at the state rate) for the implementation of a business plan, with the obligatory condition of a co-contribution of at least 1000 euros (in soums at the state rate) on the part of the winner;
– within the framework of the European Union program “Central Asia Invest V”, 3-day training seminars for CBT representatives on the topic: “Financial literacy and business planning” were held in the cities of Khanabad and Rishtan. Training seminars for owners of family guest houses, as well as for those wishing to open a family guest house, were organized by the Association of Private Tourism Organizations of Uzbekistan with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the European Union and ACTED;
– in the village of Avval (Fergana region), the city of Khanabad (Andijan region), Namangan and Bukhara regions, 3-day training seminars were also held for CBT representatives on the topic: “Financial literacy and business planning”;
– in the Tashkent region (Bostanlyk district) a 2-day training seminar was held on the topic: “Financial literacy and business planning”;
– participation in the international exhibition IFTM TOP RESA-2022 in Paris within the framework of the EU Program “Switch Asia” and “Central Asia Invest V”. Representatives of the tourism industry promoting CBT and Associations from Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) took part in the exhibition. ACTED organized a stand to promote CBT directions in Central Asia. During the exhibition, representatives of APTA held negotiations on cooperation with potential partners - the Arab Tourism Association (ATA), the Association of Authentic Tourism of French Polynesia (ATAPF), as well as tour operators from Europe and the Middle East;
– training tour for CBT specialists from Central Asia in Germany. This study tour was organized by ACTED with the support of the European German Union, ECEAT and the Association of Independent Tour Operators of Germany - Association (ASR);
– transfer to ACTED of modern technical equipment for Tourist Information Centers (TIC) of the State Unitary Enterprise “Tourist Service Center” under the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In accordance with the Project, the following equipment and mobile devices were transferred to the TIC: 2 interactive touch kiosks, portable radio devices, landline phones and a Samsung Galaxy tablet;
– release of a practical guide to running a family guest house “Family Guest House in Uzbekistan”. The guidelines were developed by APTA in cooperation with the European Union. It was released with the financial support of the European Union and the International Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development ACTED within the framework of the Central Asia Invest V program of the project “Community-Based Silk Road Tourism Initiative: Creating Links between Community-Based Tourism in Central Asia and the European Market.”
The publication is intended for entrepreneurs who want to start their own family hotel business in a city or rural area. It is also useful for existing family guest houses that plan to improve their professional competencies.