ADVANCING SMART TOURISM IN UZBEKISTAN THROUGH DIGITAL MARKETING: A SECONDARY-DATA STUDY

Abstract

This study analyzes how digital marketing can accelerate the development of smart tourism in Uzbekistan. Although the country has recorded fast growth in visitor flows and stronger global recognition, the move from traditional destination promotion to data-informed smart tourism governance is still incomplete. The evidence shows that Uzbekistan has a promising foundation for smart tourism: inbound tourism trips reached 7.96 million in 2024, internet penetration was 89.0% in January 2025, and active social media identities numbered 11.7 million. However, demand composition reveals an important strategic issue: 76.7% of inbound trips in 2024 were connected with visiting relatives, whereas leisure and recreation represented only 14.9%. This difference suggests that large arrival volumes have not yet been fully converted into higher-value destination-based tourism. The analysis also identifies a developing digital ecosystem that includes official portals, e-visa services, OTA cooperation, mobile cashback tools, and specialized platforms such as Eaten.uz.