Project “Development of CBT tourism in Uzbekistan by increasing the professional competencies of residents of rural areas. Phase II”, carried out with the support of the USAID Project for the development of entrepreneurship and the business environment “Future Growth Initiative (FGI)”, was successfully implemented by the Association of Private Tourism Agencies of Uzbekistan (APTA). As part of the project implementation, it was possible to achieve positive changes and productive results in the development of CBT tourism in Uzbekistan. For the effective implementation of the project, a comprehensive action plan was developed, consisting of several blocks.
✅ Refinement and adaptation of educational modules
Within the framework of the USAID Project for the Development of Entrepreneurship and the Business Environment (FGI), 6 scenarios for training videos were developed and filming was conducted for owners of family guest houses in the Bukhara and Tashkent regions on the topics:
- organizing cleaning work in a family guest house;
- catering for tourists, “bed and breakfast” system, table setting, guest service;
- organizing catering for tourists. Bed and breakfast system;
- hospitality and guest services (pre-service, reception, accommodation, check-out)
- educational video organizing leisure time in a family guest house
- management: management of a family guest house.
In addition, 4 educational videos have been prepared for family guest houses on the following topics:
- catering for tourists;
- organization of leisure time in a family guest house;
- organizing cleaning work in a family guest house;
- hospitality and guest services (pre-service, reception, accommodation,
departure).
✅ Development of a standard for the classification of family guest houses, development of a sign design for the classification of family guest houses.
APTA experts have developed a draft classifier for family guest houses. Specialists carried out the process of testing the developed classifier project in family guest houses in Tashkent, Samarkand and the Tashkent region. APTA employees visited 3 family guest houses in Samarkand, 2 in Tashkent and 2 in the Tashkent region. The managers of family guest houses got acquainted with the developed criteria of the classifier and made their proposals. Also, as part of the Project, a working meeting of industry experts was held, at which the results of visiting family guest houses and evaluating the testing of criteria were discussed.
✅ Organization of three-day training seminars in rural areas of Andijan, Namangan and Fergana regions.
As part of the project, APTA organized 7 three-day training seminars on the topic “Effective management of a family guest house” in Namangan, Andijan and Fergana regions. 133 participants took part in the trainings, of which 88 were women and 45 men.
Participants received valuable knowledge on the basics of organizing a family guest house, managing a guest house, receiving guests, organizing catering and leisure activities. Each participant was awarded a certificate upon completion of the training.
Also, as part of the Project, on May 20 of this year, an additional express training seminar entitled “Fundamentals of Hospitality and Service” was held at the Edelweiss Hotel in the Parkent district of Tashkent region for owners of family guest houses. The training seminar was organized by the khokimiyat of the Tashkent region with the support of the Association of Private Tourism Organizations of Uzbekistan.
At the training seminar, participants discussed topics such as organizing a family guest house, sanitary conditions, managing a guest house, receiving guests and others
aspects related to the activities of family guest houses. In addition, practical classes were held on organizing the work of a family guest house, and at the end of the training seminar, debates took place.
✅ Organization of on-site two-day trainings on the topic “Classification of family guest houses - as an effective tool for attracting tourists” in Bukhara, Jizzakh and Samarkand regions for owners of family guest houses.
APTA organized 5 two-day training seminars on the topic “Classification of family guest houses as an effective tool for attracting tourists.” Seminars were held in Samarkand, Bukhara, Tashkent and Khorezm regions and in the city of Nukus.
87 people took part in the seminars, the participants mastered such topics as the classification system in tourism, classification of accommodation facilities, goals and objectives of classification, international experience of classification and testing of a variant of the classifier for family guest houses in Uzbekistan. Each participant was awarded a certificate.
In addition, applications were collected and classification of family guest houses: representatives responsible for collecting applications and classification of family guest houses in Samarkand and Bukhara regions were identified. The process of collecting applications from representatives of family guest houses in these areas for classification and assignment of rating stars has been successfully completed.
✅ Marketing research
Within the framework of the Project, a study was carried out on the potential for the development of CBT tourism: The project marketer organized and conducted marketing research on the potential for the development of CBT tourism in the Fergana, Namangan and Andijan regions. The study was carried out in 6 stages:
1) identification of problems and hypotheses;
2) drawing up a research program;
3) collection of information;
4) data analysis;
5) preparation of the report and conclusions;
6) decision making.
After the final research, a marketing strategy was developed taking into account the specifics of the region based on the marketing mix.
✅PR campaign
As part of the Project's PR campaign, news articles were published on the official pages of APTA. Also prepared 7 articles entitled “History
success" about the owners of family guest houses. A video has been published about the visit of the Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Uzbekistan, Jonathan Henick, to the family guest house “Koh-i-noor” in the city of Bukhara.
On November 30, 2022, the opening ceremony of the Tashkent International Tourism Fair “Tourism on the Silk Road”-2022 was held, at which the Chairman of the APTA, Gulchekhra Israilova, made a welcoming speech. She noted the importance of developing “green” tourism and CBT tourism in Uzbekistan, and also mentioned the development of a draft classifier for family guest houses and a rating star sign. The star rating mark for family guest houses has been introduced ceremony participants.
✅Classification of family guest houses
In total, within the framework of the USAID Project, 100 family guest houses in Uzbekistan were classified free of charge, who expressed a desire to become a participant in the pilot project and undergo assessment in accordance with the draft classifier. Of these, 53 family guest houses have successfully passed the classification, of which 4 guest houses have been awarded “Three Stars”, 20 guest houses have been awarded “Two Stars” and 29 family guest houses have been awarded “One Star”.
✅Organization of media and information tour
A media and information tour were successfully implemented and completed in the program of which the task of classifying family guest houses was included, an info tour took place on family guest houses in the Republic of Karakalpakstan and Khorezm region for representatives of the tourism industry and the media.
✅Meetings of industry experts
On January 18, 2023, a meeting was held at the APTA office with representatives of the USAID mission in Uzbekistan. The Chairperson of the APTA, G.B. Israilova, met with the Acting Director of the Office of Economic Development and Environment of the USAID Mission in Uzbekistan, Yulia Sandu, as well as with the technical experts of the USAID Mission in Central Asia, Laura Chizmo and Svetlana Golovatskaya. During the meeting, the parties discussed the progress of the implementation of the project “Development of CBT tourism in Uzbekistan, by increasing the professional competencies of residents of rural areas. Phase II" within the framework of the USAID Future Growth Initiative (FGI) Project.
On January 31, 2023, a working meeting of APTA specialists was held on preparations for the implementation of a pilot project on the classification of family guest houses. The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the APTA Israilova G.B., experts from the APTA - developers of the classifier for family guest houses, and a legal consultant.
During the meeting the following were discussed:
- classification process;
- period and locations;
- readiness of the necessary documentation.
On April 6, 2023, the prepared classifier project was tested in family guest houses in Samarkand. The managers of family guest houses took a closer look at the developed criteria of the classifier, and also made their proposals in this direction. Also, as part of the Project, APTA organized a working meeting in the Bukhara region on February 6, 2023 on the topic “Development of the CBT destination.” The meeting brought together representatives of the APTA and the Main Department of Tourism of the Bukhara Region.
✅ Organization of a “Round Table” with the participation of representatives of business associations of Central Asia
As part of the USAID Project for the Development of Entrepreneurship and the Business Environment (FGI), a round table was organized with the participation of representatives of the APTA, the Kyrgyz Tourism Association, the Tajik Tourism Association, the Pamir Ethnocultural Tourism Association and other organizations. APTA specialist gave a presentation about possible directions of combined CBT tours.
✅ Monitoring and evaluation of project results
Since the beginning of the Project, a specialist in monitoring and evaluating the results of the Project has been working, compiling weekly and quarterly reports and statistics on the results of activities, and based on the results of the Project, final statistics of the Project, a report and indicators of Project indicators have been prepared.
All of the above activities and the results achieved were documented in accompanying documentation, including training seminar reports, participant certificates, presentations and other materials.