The Tourism Development Committee under the Government of Tajikistan has signed contracts with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and two national non-government organizations (NGOs) — Fund for Poverty Reduction and Analytical Centre Navo — for implementing the Tourism Development Project.
The project is financed by a $10 million grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), ADB’s Tajikistan Resident Mission (TJRM) said on August 14.
The UNWTO and the two NGOs will help the Tourism Development Committee prepare the first tourism satellite account of Tajikistan, formulate the country's tourist profile, and prepare a sustainable tourism development plan. The activities under the contracts are expected to be completed within 12 months after commencement.
Surveys of domestic and international tourists will be conducted as soon as tourism activities fully resume in the country to get insights into the demographics, expectations, activities, information sources, satisfaction levels, expenditure patterns, and attitudes of domestic and international tourists in Tajikistan. The data collected will help strengthen the statistics of the tourism sector and better define tourism contribution to the Tajikistan's economy.
The proposed sustainable tourism development plan will improve tourism planning, marketing, and implementation to position Tajikistan as an upcoming tourism destination.
Recall, ADB approved a $10 million grant to help Tajikistan develop tourism in the country on November 25, 2019. The project is ADB’s first tourism sector operation in Tajikistan.
The project prepares a comprehensive tourism development plan, including market demand analysis and skills mapping, as well as strengthening the institutional capacity in the sector.
The total cost of the project is $11 million, with the Government of Tajikistan providing 1 million USD. The project is expected to be completed in 2024.
