It is proposed to make changes to the rules governing foreign tour operators to limit their ability to directly sell travel packages to citizens of Uzbekistan. According to the draft government resolution published by the Tourism Committee for public discussion, foreign companies will have to work through local structures.
A foreign travel company can operate in the Uzbek market in two ways. Firstly, it can enter into an agreement with a local tour operator that has the appropriate rights for outbound tourism. Secondly, the company can establish its own legal entity in Uzbekistan and obtain the necessary license for tour operator activities.
Furthermore, travel agents will be asked to refrain from directly selling tour packages offered by foreign operators if they do not go through a locally licensed tour operator. This restriction will affect all communication channels, including websites, social networks, mobile applications, and online payment systems.
In case of violation of this requirement, the sold tour package will not be recognized as registered on the National Tourism Platform. Sanctions provided for by current legislation may be applied to such violations. Responsibility to the client for fulfilling the terms of the contract will fall on the local licensed tour operator or the foreign company's legal entity registered in Uzbekistan.
The draft also obliges the local operator to ensure the registration of the tour package on the National Tourism Platform, pay a guarantee fee, and provide the tourist with an electronic tour code. As part of the initiative, the 'Safe Tourism' fund is planned to be created, intended to compensate travelers for damages and cover expenses for their emergency evacuation from abroad.
To obtain a license, tour operators must contribute at least fifty thousand US dollars to this fund, and a guarantee fee will be charged for every trip sold. Every tourist purchasing an international tour package will be assigned a unique electronic tour code, which confirms the registration of the trip, the payment of the fee, and the inclusion of the person in the protection system in case of an emergency.
The Competition Development Committee of Uzbekistan has taken measures against several tour operators who violated advertising legislation while promoting Umrah pilgrimage organization services.
According to the agency, this committee constantly monitors advertising materials published in both media and the internet to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan 'On Advertising.'
During the inspection, publications from tour operators offering services for Umrah pilgrimage trips were studied. Territorial divisions of the committee in Fergana, Namangan, and Tashkent regions, as well as in the city of Tashkent, identified legal violations in the advertising materials posted by administrators of the pages of companies Hamroh Tour, Kabadoshlarim, Yuksak Travel, Murabbiy Travel, Hikmat Travel, and Infin Tour on the social networks Instagram and Telegram.
In accordance with current legislation, administrative liability measures have been applied to the officials of these organizations. The Competition Development Committee emphasized that all measures provided for by law will be taken based on the audit results, and efforts to control compliance with advertising legislation requirements will continue.
