Uzbekistan Tourism News: January - February 2010

Tourism Company offers an inspiring adventure travel - Silk Road Jeep Safari. The tour is designed for travelers who seek for discoveries and adventures. In 12 days you will cover the route of hundreds kilometers from the modern capital Tashkent to the shore of the Aral Sea. You will drive across the boundless deserts, immense steppes, little oases, beautiful mountain ranges, dried bottom of the Aral Sea, the plateau Ustyurt, local villages and national settlements. Besides, you will visit the pearls of Uzbekistan – ancient cities Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Shakhrisabz, included in UNESCO World Heritage list.
The journey will give you an opportunity both to enrich your historical knowledge and get acquainted with Uzbek culture, as well as to acquire new friends from different countries.

For a detailed itinerary click here.

The international Silk Road Marathon was quite an event in the history of Uzbekistan’s travel industry. A group of sports tourism enthusiasts from France had the honor to open this significant happening which from now on is to be held annually. Among the marathon contestants there were oversea runners as well as runners from Uzbekistan.

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For archeology and history enthusiasts Sairam Tourism Company has developed an amazing International Expedition "Following in the footsteps of Alexander the Great".
The Expedition is scheduled for June 15-30, 2010 and is lead by Academician Edward Rtveladze. The aim of expedition is to cover the route of Alexander the Great’s eastern campaigns.
During this expedition you will dig into the past, visit remarkable spots related to Alexander the Great in Iran, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, participate in archaeological excavations, get acquainted with unknown historical facts, unique material and spiritual monuments. In addition, you will take part in scientific conferences, conducted by noble historians and prominent archaeologists of the visited countries, and have a chance to bond with like-minded individuals.

For a detailed itinerary click here.

A presentation of tourism potential of Uzbekistan was held in Caserta, Italy. Representatives of Caserta administration, deputies of local council, academic and business circles, large tourism firms of the region, as well as media outlets participated at the presentation.

Read more Participants got acquainted with tourism potential of Uzbekistan and main directions of its development, rich spiritual and cultural heritage of the Uzbek people, development of tourism infrastructure of the country.

Chairman of Italian Association of Tourism Managers Ms. Fantaccione expressed interest in further deepening and broadening cooperation in tourism between two states. She said that Uzbekistan carried out great work on preservation and restoration of unique monuments in the country.

Ecological tourism gains more and more popularity in the whole world. On our planet Earth there have left just a few places that man has not yet set foot on, spots of untamed wilderness. Everybody is concerned about ecological problems: we all face unfavorable climatic changes; we have to purify water and air; we witness destruction of ecosystems, extinction of fauna and flora species. So the number of people who wish to get in touch with Nature – the greatest treasure of our world – is steadily increasing.

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By new tourist season a new Taj Mahal hotel complex in Andijan is to open its doors to the guests. The complex architecture is designed as a reflection of one of the noted Wonders of the World and is going to become the city’s landmark.

Read more Taj Mahal complex features the hotel for 400 guests, a business-centre,a hall for celebrations, a concert hall, as well as several sport halls, a swimming pool with sauna, beauty parlour, trading halls, a restaurant, cocktail bar with billiard and karaoke clubs.

In 2010 the fleet of Uzbekistan National Airlines "Uzbekistan havo yullari" (Uzbekistan Airways) will be replenished with 6 aircrafts the company hasn’t used before - Airbus-A320.

Read more In accordance with the contract signed between “Uzbekistan havo yullari” and Airbus Company, a group of Uzbek specialists have started training at Airbus training center in Hamburg, Germany. Altogether, 72 best specialists from company’s technical and engineering staff are to undergo the training.

On the basis of Uzbekistan Airways Technics facilities there will be organized a computerized classroom for further training of the company staff whereas the Training centre of Uzbekistan National Airlines will be provided with electronic simulator of A320 for training of the pilots.

The fleet of Uzbek-Japanese JV «Silk Road Bus and Transportation» has been recently replenished with 12 brand new tourist buses: 10 touring coaches for tourist groups up to 35 pax (number of seats in the bus – 47) and 2 midi-buses for transportation of tourist groups up to 15 pax (number of seats in the bus - 32).

Read more All the buses were manufactured at the end of 2009 by Higer company against the orders placed by the joint venture, and are supplied with air conditioners, refrigerators, and video systems. Moreover, the coaches are supplied with Luxury toilet rooms.

To create efficient transport service facilities for foreign tourists visiting Uzbekistan, as well as to improve the quality of transport services, in 2007 there was set up Uzbek-Japanese JV «Silk Road Bus and Transportation». At the moment the fleet of the joint venture features 36 vehicles including cars of various modifications, Jeep SUVs, mini buses, midi-buses and 12 brand new tourist class buses. The company plans to increase its fleet up to 100 tourist buses within several years to come.

The Central Asian first Museum of Astronomy opened its doors for the visitors. This event finalized a number of activities that took place in Uzbekistan within the framework of International Year of Astronomy announced by the UN in 2009 and Mirzo Ulugbek’s 615-th anniversary.

Read more The Museum was opened in Uzbekistan’s Astronomical Institute of Academy of Sciences which originates from astronomical observatory set up in Tashkent in 1873.

The permanent exposition of the Museum was created with assistance of the UNESCO. Among the museum exhibits of special interest is the model of the main instrument of Ulugbek's observatory - meridian quadrant, which demonstrates to the visitors the process of astronomical observations carried out in this observatory more than 600 years ago.

One of the Museum’s expositions tells about the history of astronomy development in Central Asia and its significance in the development of world’s science. Among the unique astronomical tools exhibited in the exposition there is the telescope made by English scientist James Short in the 18th century, a marine octant created by London mechanic John Hadley on the basis of Isaac Newton's drawings, a reflector invented by English optician John Dolland, and many other astronomical instruments.

In Bukhara there was opened St. Andrew the Apostle Roman Catholic Church. The first mass was ministered on the eve of 2010.

Read more In Uzbekistan the Catholic communities can be found in Samarkand, Ferghana, Urgench, Bukhara. The Catholics number about 1000 followers. At present in Uzbekistan there are 6 Catholic parishes served by 10 Franciscan priests. Certain charity activities are also conducted by 3 Franciscan monks and 10 nuns from Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. In Roman Catholic cathedrals and churches the service is provided in Russian, Korean and English.

Opening of a Roman Catholic church in Bukhara is one more evidence of religion tolerant policy of the Uzbek state.

According to the Committee on Religious Affairs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan, besides Moslem religious organizations, Uzbekistan today hosts 160 Christian religious organizations, 8 Jewish communities, 6 Baha'I communes, one Hare Krishna commune.

Among the exhibits of the State History Museum of Uzbekistan there appeared new archeological artifacts found during the excavation works carried out in Khanabad settlement (Tashkent Province).

Read more The findings include unglazed clay pots made on the potter’s wheel and baked in the kilns, two glazed pots and two flat baked bricks (29х15х4,5 сm) made of grey clay. Such bricks were commonly used for construction of the houses and public buildings in the Middle Ages.

An intact millstone found during the excavation works is an evidence of local people agricultural activities. There was also found an oxidated copper coin. All the findings date to the 10th-12th century.

A new JUM Airport restaurant opened on the territory of Tashkent International Airport. The new restaurant is a part of a chain of cafes under the same brand that has already acquired a good reputation in the market of Uzbekistan.
The JUM Airport restaurant harmoniously integrated austerity of style and home-like comfort.

Read more Here one can pass the time while waiting for his flight, or have tasty breakfast, lunch or dinner. In JUM Airport there functions Public Announcement System about flights departure and arrivals with information being displayed at PDP. Cozy furniture made of natural wood, classic bar counter, soft brown and terracotta colours in interior decoration, interesting lights- all these create the feeling of harmony.

The restaurant for 85 seats is open round the clock, seven days a week.

Ideology of Galliano club is based on the philosophy of glamourous couturier. No wonder the club has chosen for its slogan the words of the famous fashion designer "We like luxury and hate pathos!" Led by this idea the club organizers decorated the club in luxurious and at the same time natural style.

Read more The walls of the club resemble the brickwork, yet there are white sumptuous lamps, hand-wrought furniture and tables with accent light, black and red candles and an angel girl image on the ceiling. All these represent different styles but being put together they create a rather harmonious combination – Galliano’s style.

In addition, the interior of the club displays one appeal – here everything is decorated with clippings that feature ‘shocking’ Galliano.

Galliano is a premium-class club with quality service and a diverse menu of drinks and appetizers. Moreover, the best DJs from the Uzbek capital entertain the public every evening. However, those who are not very keen about noisy environment can visit a quiet bar-restaurant located on the ground floor of the club.