Tourism Development in Tajikistan - Artuch Travel****
Tajikistan has a great historical heritage, a unique culture, a favorable geographical location, diversity of natural landscapes, unique natural monuments which all offer huge potential for development of domestic and international tourism.
The government’s programme for tourism development in the Republic of Tajikistan for the period of 2010-2014 defines the strategy, key directions, priorities, objectives and mechanism of realization of the government policy in tourism development for a mid-term period. The government of Tajikistan has already simplified the order of entry into the country for foreign citizens and unnecessary administrative barriers have been eliminated to improve the experience of visitors to our country.
Since 2008 representatives of tourism agencies from Tajiksitan have participated in the largest international tourism exhibitions and fairs, conducted in Berlin (Germany), London (UK), Tokyo (Japan) and Tashkent (Uzbekistan), working on increasing the quality of marketing and informational materials, directed at attracting international tourists to Tajikistan. The standards and legislation for international cooperation in the tourism development with foreign countries is currently being expanded. At the moment 14 agreements in tourism development are functioning.
In the context of further improvements the Government programme is proposing to increase tourists’ arrivals to the country to 50,000 visitors annually. The effective realization of this goal will lead to the increase of attractiveness of the national tourism product and will assist Tajikistan to enter into the system of the global market of tourism services. Also preconditions for enhancing the competitive tourism industry, which can be one of the main profitable sectors of the state economy, will be created.
The government of Tajikistan through the State Committee for Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism works with partner organizations such as Representative of European Union in Tajikistan, the Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (part of the Aga Khan Foundation), Welthungerhilfe, the European Centre for Eco and Agro Tourism and many others in developing a sustainable tourism industry in Tajikistan.