According to the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) rating for 2019, Uzbekistan is among the TOP-10 OIC member countries in terms of attractiveness.

The report is developed GMTI jointly with the Singapore-based company CrescentRating and Mastercard. The TOP-10 also includes such Muslim countries as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia. The report notes that Uzbekistan is on the 18th place in the world in providing amenities to Muslim tourists. Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey lead the list. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan occupy the 19th and 20th places respectively.

It should be noted that the promotion of Uzbekistan in the ranking is the result of the fruitful cooperation between State Committee for Tourism Development and the agency CrescentRating International. Over the past year, within the framework of cooperation, representatives of the agency visited Uzbekistan several times in order to study and analyze the development of Ziyorat (pilgrimage) tourism in the country.

In February of this year, representatives of CrescentRating International took part in the First International Forum on Ziyorat Tourism in Bukhara. The forum included a meeting of the Acting Chairman of the State Committee for Tourism Development Abdulaziz Akkulov with CrescentRating International CEO Fazal Bakhardin, where the parties exchanged views on upgrading Uzbekistan’s GMTI rating.

Following the results of the forum, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the National PR-Center under the Tourism Committee and the CrescentRating agency.

In compiling the rating, GMTI takes into consideration such factors as security, economy, religion, transport infrastructure and services.