OSH, May 23. /Dunyo IA/. The VII International Tourism Festival “Salom Osh–2026” took place in the Osh region of Kyrgyzstan, aimed at developing cooperation in the field of tourism and strengthening cultural and economic ties between the countries of Central Asia, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The event was organized to promote the tourism potential of the regions and expand cooperation between the states of the region. The opening ceremony was attended by Kyrgyz officials, tourism industry representatives, diplomats, as well as delegations from China, Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

The delegation of Uzbekistan included representatives from the Fergana, Andijan and Namangan regions, as well as tourism companies and regional media.

During the opening ceremony, it was noted that the festival serves not only to demonstrate the region's tourism potential but also to strengthen friendship and economic cooperation in Central Asia. Special attention was paid to the development of pilgrimage, ecological, and ethno-tourism, as well as the creation of joint tourist routes with neighbouring countries.

Representatives of the Uzbek delegation presented information on the tourism potential of Uzbekistan's regions and the ongoing reforms in the sector. It was noted that tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the country's economy.

During the event, exhibitions of tourism services, a national cuisine festival, craft fairs, concert programs, and presentations of tourism projects were organized. Excursions to the historical and cultural sites of the city of Osh and its surroundings were also arranged for the participants.

Following the results of the festival, tourism companies from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan signed five memorandums of cooperation aimed at developing joint projects in the tourism sector.

It was separately noted that Kyrgyzstan remains one of the largest sources of tourist flow to Uzbekistan, and the potential for mutual growth in the tourism sector is assessed as significant.