Creating free tourism zones as a major feature of the economic development of a region. Evidences from Uzbekistan

Abstract

Uzbekistan’s specific geographical location at a distance from the seas and the lack of developed land communications with developed world economic centers limits the country’s integration into the world economic system and requires the search for new ways to solve this problem. Many researchers consider tourism to be one of the most significant reserves of the country’s development. Uzbekistan has great opportunities for developing this sector of the economy due to its rich and in many respects unique historical and cultural heritage. The country’s cultural heritage sites are comparable in importance to the world-famous sites of world culture in Greece and Italy. However, the tourist flow to the country does not exceed several hundred thousand people, which determines the relevance of developing new approaches to assessing and developing the country’s tourism potential.The article deals with the creation of free tourist zones in Uzbekistan, their further development and impact on the economy of both the country and individual regions.