REVIEW ONLINE CONVERSATION of 2 APRIL 2025

A video of the conversation is available here: https://youtu.be/Nw5tJeSYWh4?feature=shared

Our stop: Uzbekistan. We travel to the Nuratau Range with mountains over 2,000 meters, located north of Samarkand and visit the community-based-tourism project “Nuratau”, which was initiated by local enthusiasts and guarantees travellers authentic experiences. Founded in 2008, the project focuses on the development of tourism packages that are associated with the needs and traditions of the local population. In addition to overnight stays in over 10 picturesquely situated family guesthouses in several villages, hiking tours, horse riding tours, adventure tours and cultural tours are offered. 
 
Our guests: CLAUDIA MITTENEDER (Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung) & SHERZOD NORBEKOV (Nuratau Travel) 

Claudia Mitteneder, Studienkreis Tourismus und Entwicklung, talked about her work and the annual TO DO Award. Sherzod Norbekov, founder of the Nuratau Travel Project, gave us exciting insights into community-based tourism based on the TO DO Award winner 2023 Nuratau Project in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. 

In community-based tourism, the direct participation of the local population is a key factor. Local people are largely responsible for the planning, development and implementation, host guests in their own accommodation and benefit directly from tourism spending. This gives tourists a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the lives of the locals and to encounter culture/people in a respectful way. 

Claudia Mitteneder also told us about the challenges involved in presenting the TO DO Award. For example, it can happen that a project is classified as unsuitable during the award process because it does not meet the requirements. In addition, each project is visited by a Studienkreis employee so that a direct review takes place and any shortcomings can be ruled out. 

Sherzod Norbekov was able to give us an insight into one of the award-winning projects. The Community Based Tourism project in Uzbekistan by Nuratau Travel received the TO DO Award in 2023. In our interview, he not only tells us about the challenges faced at the start of the project, but also about the project's current key figures and developments. He also emphasizes the positive impact of community-based tourism on the local population. In recent years, the sustainable energy supply has been expanded through photovoltaic systems, new employment opportunities have been created and the water supply has been improved. In addition, the number of guests and the associated income have increased. 

Both interviewees also hope for positive results in the future. An increase in the number of visitors and an extension of the length of stay in the Nuratau project are desirable, as is the continuation of the TO DO Awards in the Tourism and Development Study Group.