Starting from October 29, the InterContinental Hotel in Tashkent hosted one of the most anticipated events in the tourism industry – the international B2B tourism exhibition Tashkent Travel Mart-2024. This large-scale event featured the Travelhub Uzbekistan conference, which brought together top players in the tourism sector, experts in digitalization, and developers of unique travel products.
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Organizers and Partners
The conference was organized by the Association of Private Tourism Organizations of Uzbekistan (APTO), with support from the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, the Committee for Tourism of Uzbekistan, as well as the USAID project for entrepreneurship and business environment development, the national airline Uzbekistan Airways, and the USAID project for business support.
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Opening Ceremony
At the opening ceremony, speeches were delivered by the Chairman of the Committee for Tourism – Umid Rustamovich Shodie, the USAID project manager for business support – Milo Stevanovich, and the Director of the Tariffs and Commercial Agreements Department of Uzbekistan Airways – Alisher Nurmakhamatovich Mullabekov.
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Conference Goals and Themes
The Travelhub Uzbekistan conference aimed to discuss advanced technologies in tourism, methods for creating unique travel products, and the opportunities that digitalization opens up for Uzbekistan's tourism and hospitality industry. The event attracted over 600 participants, including tour operators, representatives from the hotel industry, IT platforms, and international partners, allowing for an examination of global trends and local tourism features.
During the conference, participants exchanged ideas on enhancing customer experience, developing flexible travel products, and implementing digital solutions. Recognized experts from the USA, Turkey, Israel, Croatia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan presented new trends and inspired participants with innovative approaches to business.
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Speaker Lineup
Among the speakers were:
- Ana Runi (USA) – Vice President of Operations and Product Development, shared insights on creating successful tours;
- Evgeny Zalberg (Israel) – Trainer of guides and tour leaders, highlighted the importance of feedback from tourists;
- Leonid Marmer (Israel) – Senior Director of Business Development at TAL Aviation Group, discussed international tourism and its development;
- Erol Turk (Turkey) – Chairman of San Tourism Software Group, introduced Paximum – a unified platform for the tourism industry;
- Khurshid Mahmadov (Uzbekistan) – Regional Manager of ETS International, talked about the future of Travel Tech and online service development in the region;
- Jakhongir Mirmuminov (Uzbekistan) – Representative of Olery in Uzbekistan, shed light on reputation management opportunities in the hospitality sector.
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Panel Sessions: Product Creation and Digitalization
The first panel session focused on creating unique tourism products. Speakers discussed marketing issues, White Label strategies, and the role of tour leaders in improving service quality. Practical case studies helped participants understand how to develop products that meet the needs of modern travelers.
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The second session addressed digital innovations transforming tourism. Representatives from the IT industry shared insights on the Paximum platform, the SoftPOS technological solution for payment processing, and the advantages of the SAMO-tour software suite for tour operators. Jakhongir Mirmuminov discussed online reputation management methods that enable hotels to collect and analyze customer feedback.
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Results and Prospects
The Travelhub Uzbekistan conference became an important platform for discussing the future of tourism and Uzbekistan's opportunities in the global market. Participants gained valuable knowledge and new business contacts, while organizers emphasized that this is just the beginning of a significant journey towards integrating advanced solutions and developing unique tourism offerings.
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The international B2B tourism exhibition Tashkent Travel Mart-2024 continued on October 30, providing participants with an excellent opportunity to establish partnerships, share professional experiences, and discuss promising projects aimed at enhancing international cooperation in the tourism sector.
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