KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 — Tourism is considered one of the pillars of cooperation in the bilateral relations between Uzbekistan and Malaysia, said Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Malaysia, Karomidin Gadoev.
He said the tourism industry is essential for both Uzbekistan and Malaysia’s economic sectors.
“Uzbekistan has a rich history, culture, architecture and cuisine. We have a visa-free policy for citizens of Malaysia for a period of 30 days,” he said during Malaysia-Uzbekistan business-to-business meeting here attended by tourism players of both countries yesterday.
The event is organised in collaboration between the Uzbekistan embassy and Uzbekistan Airways to bring Malaysia and Uzbekistan closer.
Gadoev said Uzbekistan Airways has played a major role in bridging Uzbekistan and Malaysia with direct regular flights between Tashkent and Kuala Lumpur.
He said Uzbekistan and Malaysia have agreed to cooperate on tourism through a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation signed in Samarkand during a Malaysian delegation’s visit last year.
According to Gadoev, Uzbekistan’s tourism industry now presents various segments of tourism, including culture, ziyarah (visit), gastronomic and winter, as well as meeting, incentives, conferences and exhibitions or MICE-tourism, and other packages for Malaysians.
He said the landlocked country is the heart of the Silk Road and a land of diversity which attracts tourists all over the world with world-famous Islamic shrines in the ancient cities of Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent and Khiva.
Besides its historic legacy, Uzbekistan also welcome foreign travellers with modern infrastructure and facilities, said Gadoev.
Malaysia and Uzbekistan’s bilateral relations were established in 1992, with several exchanges of visits at the levels of leaders.
— Bernama
