Impact of Covid-19 on the tourism industry of Aral Sea region of Uzbekistan

Abstract

Tourism as an emerging sector in Aral Sea region of Uzbekistan has been facing consistent reforms since 2016 aiming to diversify business opportunities. But, the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic disturbed the plans. The study evaluates the current situation of tourism throughout the pandemic and discloses the priority needs of tourism entities to survive during the crises. A structured questionnaire consisting of 15 questions was developed to study the perspectives of tourism business units during the pandemic. 279 respondents were found eligible for analysis based on the structured questionnaire that was collected from tourism stakeholders. Survey results revealed that revenues witnessed a significant decline during the pandemic and stakeholders are expecting short-term financing instruments provided by the government. The role of the government in assisting tourism bodies to rehabilitate after the pandemic is dramatic. Another finding is that there is a necessity for building strong cooperation between authorities and tourism establishments to fight adverse consequences more effectively.