Recognition on Ziyorah tourism of Bukhara region by world countries

Nowadays, it is often difficult to distinguish between “tourists” and “pilgrims”. Indeed, the question of the differences between tourism and pilgrimage has been a popular topic of study, resulting in a rich body of literature on pilgrim tourist typologies. Pilgrimage has been defined as a journey to a sacred place, or a journey resulting from a religious cause, performed externally to a holy site and internally for both spiritual purposes and internal understanding. Similarly, Singh defines pilgrimage as an inner journey that manifests in exterior space in which the immanent and the transcendent together form a complex spiritual and travel phenomenon. According to Cohen, the true pilgrim is committed to the centre, or holy site, by virtue of his or her search for the real and meaningful experiences of life. This view aligns with traditional notions that individuals who have undertaken arduous and perilous journeys for religious causes by way of putting their faith into practice were typically pilgrims.

Uzbekistan possesses thousands of historical and cultural monuments. Several cultural sites in Bukhara region are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Bukhara is one of the oldest cities of Uzbekistan with a thousand years of history. Bukhara is a holy city of Muslim world. There are many mosques, shrines, madrasahs, with the latest one among them dating back to the XIX century, preserved there. It is also known as a “town museum” with over 140 architectural monuments dating back to the Middle Ages.

Besides that popular monuments and sights of Bukhara – Khoja-Gaukushon, Lyabi-Hauz, Nadir Divan-begi madrasah, Samanids mausoleum, Abdullaziz-khan madrasah, Miri-Arab madrasah, Magoki-Attori mosque, Ulugbek Madrassah, Chor-Minor Madrassah, Bolo Hauz, Ismail Samani Mausoleum. As well as, From February 21 to 23, Bukhara and Samarkand will host the First International Forum on Ziyarat Tourism, which will be attended by representatives of important international organizations in the Islamic world, relevant departments, universities, clergy, scientific and academic circles, tourist companies in the field of Ziyarat Tourism.

The news about the planned event caused a wide resonance in the world community. For coverage of the course Forum to Bukhara will arrive representatives of the largest TV channels of Europe and Asia – EuroNews (France) and Al Jazeera (Qatar), journal "al-Ahram al-Iqtisadi" (Egypt) and Newspapers Diplomatic News (Pakistan), Kommersant (Russia), "al-Wachet" (Riot police) and Al Hayat (Saudi Arabia).

For your information, EuroNews is a leading European round-the-clock news channel that combines video newsreels of world events in eight languages. The channel, founded in 1993, covers world events relevant from the European point of view. EuroNews cable, satellite and terrestrial broadcasting covers more than 199 million households in 130 countries.

Participants of the press conference asked why was Bukhara selected for holding the Forum, other regions of Uzbekistan could also become the candidates for hosting the forum. The First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Tourism Development U.Kasimkhojayev answered that this decision was taken as the result of recognition of Bukhara by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) as Islamic Culture Capital in 2020. In the future, the Forum is expected to be held in Samarkand and Khorezm regions.

As well as foreigners' confession is “I have traveled to many countries of the East, but I have never seen such hospitality anywhere,” said architect Zaytun Muhammad Noh from Malaysia. “This is my fourth visit to Uzbekistan. Every time I discover here something new. All the ancient cities of this country are beautiful in their own way. However, Bukhara is unique. Here you not only get vivid impressions, but you also find peace and tranquility. Each memorial complex is distinctive and each pattern is unique and hides a deep philosophical meaning. They have some charm that cannot be expressed in words. They demonstrate the great creative potential of the Uzbek people.”

In general, there are more than 7,000 historical monuments in Uzbekistan and more than 200 are listed on the UNESCO List. Uzbekistan occupies the 9th place as a country rich in historical monuments and cultural heritage preservation . The Bukhara region is a place where its attractive, historical and cultural heritage provides a general sense of the past. In Bukhara, the government provides a lot of opportunities for the development of tourism and develops a qualitative, fast service area for tourists. Particularly, the potential for the tourism industry is being recognized by many tourists.

This forum in Bukhara is to increase the number of tourists coming from Muslim countries and to demonstrate the touristic potential of the oasis in the tourism industry.