THE IMPACT OF PILGRIMAGE TOURISM ON THE ECONOMY OF UZBEKISTAN: KEY INDICATORS AND CURRENT TRENDS

Abstract

Pilgrimage tourism is one of the promising areas of tourism development in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The article examines the main indicators and trends in the development of pilgrimage tourism in Uzbekistan, as well as its socio-economic consequences. The purpose of the study is to identify the role of pilgrimage tourism in the economy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, to determine the main indicators and trends in the development of this area of tourism. The ideas of the study are that pilgrimage tourism has significant potential for the development of the economy of Uzbekistan, creating jobs and improving the standard of living of the population.

The research contributes to the development of theoretical knowledge about pilgrimage tourism in Uzbekistan. The practical significance of the study lies in the fact that its results can be used to develop strategies for the development of pilgrimage tourism in Uzbekistan, as well as to improve the efficiency of management of this tourism area.
The methodological basis of the research is the economic and sociological approaches. The research uses methods such as statistical data analysis, including correlation and regression analysis; analysis of official legal documents and scientific literature, generalization, forecasting.
As a result of the study, the following main results were obtained. In 2022, about 313.9 thousand pilgrims visited the country, which is about 6% of the total number of international tourists. Revenues from pilgrimage tourism in 2022 amounted to 125.6 million dollars, which is about 1.52% of the GDP of the Republic of Uzbekistan. According to the forecast for 2023, the incoming tourist flow to the Republic of Uzbekistan will grow to 7 million people, the number of pilgrim tourists will amount to 420 thousand people. Then the income from pilgrimage tourism in 2023 It will amount to $168 million, and the total revenue from tourism will amount to $ 2.8 billion. Using correlation analysis, a direct noticeable correlation was revealed between employment in the tourism sector and income from tourism. Pilgrimage tourism is one of the promising areas of tourism development in Uzbekistan. The results of the study contribute to the development of theoretical knowledge about pilgrimage tourism in Uzbekistan. The results of the study can be used to develop strategies for the development of pilgrimage tourism in Uzbekistan, as well as to improve the efficiency of management of this area of tourism. In particular, the study can be used to improve the regulatory framework governing activities in the field of pilgrimage tourism; development of infrastructure for pilgrimage tourism; promotion of pilgrimage tourism in foreign markets.