BEIJING, March 25. /Dunyo IA/. In the capital of the People's Republic of China, the "World Leisure Awards 2024" ceremony was held, where Uzbekistan was recognized as the best place for cultural tourism in 2024, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The event, organized by the publication "Travel & Leisure", was attended by representatives of foreign diplomatic missions, tourism industry professionals, and media from China.

Xiao Yan, the editor-in-chief and founder of "Travel & Leisure", highlighted that Uzbekistan has enormous potential in the tourism sector and is one of the best travel destinations. Its unique architecture, historical monuments, and tourism opportunities attract millions of visitors from around the world every year. She emphasized that, in recent years, the number of Chinese tourists wishing to visit Uzbekistan has been steadily increasing.

The participants of the event were also informed about the ongoing reforms in Uzbekistan aimed at developing the tourism sector. It was noted that, thanks to the attention given by the state, new tourism destinations are emerging in the country, infrastructure is improving, and the recognition of Uzbekistan as a tourist hub is increasing.

Additionally, it was announced that 2025 has been declared the Tourism Year of Uzbekistan in China, with various cultural events planned in cities across the country as part of the celebration. To boost the flow of Chinese tourists to Uzbekistan, the number of flights between cities has been doubled.

It was also mentioned that the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference will be held in Samarkand in 2025, marking the first time it will be held outside of Paris since 1985.