Analysis of Cooperation in the Tourism Sector between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan: a Study of Cross-border Value Chains

multiple stakeholders (government, private sector, other) between Uzbekistan and 
Kyrgyzstan, and wider regional players (Central Asia, CAREC, Silk Road countries, 
CIS). Such platforms should mainstream cross-sectoral regional topics, such as security, 
connectivity, border and visa regulations, environmental protection, cross-border trade 
and other issues, into tourism agenda. Participation of Kazakhstan and other regional 
stakeholders is important, especially given that many current touristic routes between 
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan pass through their territories, as well as in the light of 
regional tourism promotion.
• Participatory policy making in tourism. Governments should coordinate with / involve 
in decision-making the private sector and business associations, who stay abreast of latest 
trends and developments, and have a direct regular contact with tourists. This is of utmost 
importance in tourism as a highly labor-intensive industry, where quality of service 
depends on human factor a lot. This will also positively contribute to evidence-based 
policy-making in environments with lack of data. 
• Improving public access and on-demand access to quantitative and qualitative data in 
travel and tourism sectors. This is important for a variety of reasons, including, but not 
limited to (i) facilitation of research and development in the sector, (ii) ensuring 
evidence-based policy-making, (iii) increasing investment attractiveness of the sector in 
the country, (iv) enhancing public trust to the sector institutions, as well as (v) improving 
the quality standards in tourism products and services.
• Marketing (i) medical / wellness and pilgrimage tours around Uzbekistan to Kyrgyz 
tourists (ii) shopping tours andshort-term low-price arranged and/or group tours to 
Osh and neighboring regions in Kyrgyzstan to Uzbek tourists. These growing niches 
represent an opportunity to boost tourism between two countries in the short-term. The 
research also identified detailed recommendations for each country to develop their 
internal tourism policies and practices for the cross-border tourism, including facilitation 
of competition growth among tourism products and service providers. 

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Annexes