A proposal has been put forward in Uzbekistan to establish a 'Safe Tourism' fund, the assets of which will be used to assist tourists. This assistance includes compensation for damages, provision of temporary accommodation, evacuation, and repatriation in the event of emergencies. The relevant draft government resolution was published by the Committee on Tourism for public discussion.
According to the submitted document, the fund is planned to be established under the Committee on Tourism without creating a separate legal entity; its funds will be accumulated in the committee's treasury accounts. One of the new requirements for tour operators organizing foreign trips will be the deposit into the fund of an amount equivalent to at least 50,000 US dollars. These funds can be used to compensate for material damage caused to tourists by the actions or inaction of the tour operator or travel agent.
Furthermore, it is proposed to direct fund resources to cover expenses related to temporary stay, food, transport, communication, as well as evacuation and return costs for citizens. The basis for using these funds may be a court decision, a statement from the tourist or their legal representative, or a justified decision by the Committee on Tourism. If part of the reserved funds is spent, the tour operator is obliged to restore the reserve to the established level within 15 days.
The project also provides for the introduction of a targeted guarantee contribution on each sold tourism product amounting to 0.15% of the Basic Calculation Value (BCV) valid on the date of tour sale. This fee will be included in the package price and will not be charged separately to tourists as a state fee or administrative payment.
For tourism products organized by Uzbek operators, the responsibility for transferring this contribution lies with the operator itself. If a tourism product from a foreign company is sold through a licensed legal entity registered in Uzbekistan, the obligation to pay the contribution falls on that organization. The document provides for the introduction of an electronic tourism code system. The National Tourism Platform will automatically assign a unique electronic number to every tourist purchasing a foreign tour package after the guarantee contribution is received in a special treasury account of the fund. Without payment of the contribution, such a code generation will not occur, and the sale of this tourism product will be impossible.
It is expected that the tourism code will confirm the registration of the product on the platform, the payment of the guarantee contribution, and the inclusion of the tourist in the protection system. The database will also contain information about the tour operator and travel agent, the route and dates of the trip, transport, insurance policy, and emergency contacts. It is proposed to include this code in the contract for the provision of tourism services, the tourist voucher, the electronic ticket, and other documents issued to the traveler. Using the National Tourism Platform will allow the Committee on Tourism to maintain a register of sold tours, track incoming payments, and quickly determine the location of tourists abroad in crisis situations.
The draft resolution defines the list of circumstances under which a tourist may receive assistance from the fund's resources. Such circumstances include the absence or cancellation of a return ticket, inability to leave the country due to unpaid accommodation or transfer, non-fulfillment of obligations by a foreign partner, bankruptcy or cessation of activity of the tour operator or travel agent, errors in visa and other document processing, declaration of a state of emergency or martial law in the country of stay, recognition of the state as dangerous by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, deportation of the tourist due to the fault of the tourism company, as well as leaving minors, elderly citizens, and other persons requiring special protection abroad.
However, reimbursement of expenses for returning the tourist to the tour operator is not provided if the traveler voluntarily remained abroad, intentionally violated the legislation of the host country, or independently deviated from the planned itinerary. Exceptions are made for minors, incapacitated persons, and cases of direct threat to life or health.
The document also stipulates that the Committee on Tourism will conduct an inventory of previously issued licenses within six months of the entry into force of the new rules and bring them into compliance with the updated requirements. Furthermore, plans are being developed to create a separate protection mechanism for citizens who travel abroad independently, without involving tour operators and travel agents.
The Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan has presented a draft government resolution for public discussion. This document introduces new requirements for foreign tour operators when selling tourism products abroad to Uzbek citizens.
According to the submitted draft, foreign tourism companies will be allowed to operate in the Uzbek market in two ways. Either they enter into an agreement with a local licensed tour operator authorized to organize international tourism, or they establish their own legal entity registered in Uzbekistan and obtain the corresponding license.
The draft also provides for a ban on direct sales of tours by travel agents from foreign operators without the involvement of a local licensed tour operator. This restriction applies to all sales channels, including websites, social networks, mobile applications, online payment systems, and other digital platforms.
In case of violation of this requirement, the sold tourism product will be considered unregistered on the National Tourism Platform, and the company may face regulatory measures provided for by law. Responsibility for fulfilling obligations to the tourist will fall on the local licensed tour operator or the foreign company's legal entity registered in Uzbekistan. It is the local operator's duty to register the tour package on the National Tourism Platform, pay the guarantee deposit, and ensure the issuance of an electronic tour code to the tourist.
The draft resolution also includes the creation of the 'Safe Tourism' fund. The assets of this fund are intended to compensate tourists for damages, as well as to cover costs for their accommodation, evacuation, and repatriation in emergencies. To obtain a tour operator license, operators are required to reserve an amount equivalent to at least 50,000 US dollars in the fund and collect a guarantee deposit from each sold tour. Every tourist purchasing a package for an international tour will receive a unique electronic code confirming the trip's registration on the National Tourism Platform, payment of the guarantee deposit, and inclusion of the traveler in the emergency protection system.
