Tourism in Tajikistan

Location of Tajikistan

The tourism in Tajikistan is currently undeveloped, but should in the coming years into a major industry for the Central Asian developing country.

development

The country of Tajikistan has been striving to develop tourism as an important industry since its independence in 1990. A major setback for this project was the Tajik Civil War from 1992 to 1997, which deterred tourists and destroyed infrastructure. After the end of the civil war, the development of tourism moved back into the political focus. In 2012, 245,000 foreign citizens visited the Central Asian country, in 2015 the number was already 414,000. In 2017, tourism contributed 8.3% to the country's GDP and guaranteed almost 200,000 jobs, directly or indirectly.

State support measures

The Tajik state is trying to promote this industry with a number of measures to promote tourism. The Tourism Development Committee, which reports to the government and maintains offices in several parts of the country, plays a central role. The visa regulations have also been simplified so that they are now available for a uniform price and also as e-visas. In addition, fees for alpinists and entrance fees for national parks have been canceled or reduced. At the beginning of the 2010s, President Rahmon's government announced that it would attract one million foreign travelers annually by 2020. This target is likely to be missed, although 2018 as the year of tourism was accompanied by further efforts in the tourism sector, especially in the areas of wellness and ecotourism .

Ranking

In the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2017, Tajikistan was ranked 107th out of 136 countries examined and was thus able to improve by twelve places compared to 2015.

Attractions

In Tajikistan, which is more than 90% dominated by mountains, the mountain landscapes are the main attraction. Since Tajikistan can look back on a long history, there are also historical sites of great value in the country. The larger cities of the country are of touristic importance as centers of culture and architecture, but also as infrastructure hubs.

Cities and buildings

Monument to the poet Rudaki in Dushanbe

For many tourists, the capital Dushanbe is the gateway to the other parts of the country. The city is characterized by its location as well as the many avenues, squares and green spaces that characterize the cityscape. Numerous monuments and government buildings have been erected in the years since independence and some of them also attract tourists. The numerous museums also make Dushanbe a cultural center. A little outside of Dushanbe is the Hissar fortress, the former summer residence of the Emir of Bukhara , a major tourist attraction.

Also Khujand , the second largest city in the country, whose history on Alexander the Great back, pulling one of the commercial centers of the former Silk Road to tourists.

Ruins in Sarasm, UNESCO World Heritage Site

The current city of Punjakent in the northwest of the country is also one of the larger cities in the country. Thanks to the nearby Old Punjakent, which is an important relic of Sogdian civilization and is also known as the Pompeii of Central Asia due to its good state of preservation, Punjakent is also of interest to tourists.

The proto-urban settlement Sarasm made it onto the list of world cultural heritage due to its outstanding archaeological importance and is also interesting for tourists.

Mountains

Pamir summit in Tajikistan

The country of Tajikistan is shaped by the Pamir , which is also the country's most important tourist attraction. The highest mountains in the country with a height of more than 7000 meters attract mountaineers, the mountainous landscapes with numerous lakes are also popular with hikers.

Ecotourism

Ecotourism is expected to play an important role for the tourism sector in Tajikistan in the coming years. For this purpose, several nature parks have been set up, where tourists can get to know the nature, as well as the flora and fauna of the country.

Obstacles

Tajikistan is a poor country with a poorly developed infrastructure. The picturesque mountain landscapes in particular are therefore hardly developed and difficult to reach. Getting there is also a challenge, as there are only a few international flight connections. The security situation in the country differs between the regions. While Dushanbe is considered to be relatively safe, the Federal Foreign Office warns against traveling to the autonomous province of Berg-Badakhshan , as there are always fighting there. There is also a warning for the border area to the southern neighboring country Afghanistan . In July 2018, four cycle tourists died in a terrorist attack near Dangara . In general, however, the Federal Foreign Office rates the risk of terrorism as low.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Tajikistan - Tourism | export.gov. Retrieved July 28, 2019 . 
2. ^ Augsburger Allgemeine: Tajikistan wants to attract tourists with mountain and eco trips. Retrieved July 28, 2019 . 
3. ↑ Mr. Maliksho Nematov (Ed.): Improving Visa Procedures for Growth and Development in Tajikistan .
4. ↑ Tajikistan: Fewer tourists than expected. In: Novastan German. July 23, 2019, accessed on July 28, 2019 (German). 
5. ↑ World Economic Fourm (ed.): The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 . 2017.
6. ^ Klaus Pander: Art Travel Guide Central Asia .
7. ↑ UNESCO World Heritage Center: Proto-urban Site of Sarazm. Retrieved July 28, 2019 . 
8. ↑ Lonely Planet: Tajikistan travel. Retrieved July 28, 2019 . 
9. ^ Ecotourism - Tajikistan. Retrieved July 28, 2019 (American English). 
10. ↑ Foreign Office: Foreign Office - Tajikistan: Travel and Security Advice. Retrieved July 28, 2019 .