Uzbekistan becomes new tourist hotspot for Chinese tourists in Central Asia

The number of Chinese tourists heading to the Central Asian country of Uzbekistan has lately seen a surge, since both countries adopted a mutual visa-free policy half a year ago.

This as Uzbek tour guides are increasingly picking up Mandarin in hopes of accommodating these visitors.

Located in the heart of Central Asia, Uzbekistan is the place to go for history buffs and all those fascinated with the ancient Silk Road.

According to the works of Han dynasty explorer Zhang Qian, the site he called "Dayuan" is located in what is now known as the Ferghana Valley in the Central Asian nation.

Long forgotten as a tourist destination among the Chinese public, Uzbekistan returned to Chinese travellers' radar when the two countries adopted mutual visa-free policies half a year ago.

Just last year alone, the country welcomed some 500,000 Chinese tourists, which is twice the figure compared with the year before.

Mukhammad Ali, a local tour guide, said the boost in Chinese visitors consisted of more than just curious travellers, but also brought about large numbers of business groups who wished to invest in his country.

Uzbek resident Shoislom, who became fluent in Mandarin after spending eight years studying in Shanghai, benefitted greatly from the visa free policy, stressing that he barely had any rest from facilitating mainland visitors over the past half a year.

He said he became accustomed to regional variations of Chinese tourists, emphasisng that Guangdong visitors prefer taking photos while those from Guangxi enjoy learning about history.

Shoislom also hailed the growing number of Uzbeks who are interested in learning Mandarin, saying that they can follow in his footsteps by sharing local stories with their Chinese friends and improving their travel experience.

Despite newfound interest in the country, some mainland tour guides based in Uzbekistan said the nation remains underdeveloped in many ways when it comes to the tourism industry.

Gao Lei, the manager of a travel agency in Uzbekistan, noted the lack of trash cans near famous landmarks, as well as a shortage of English or Chinese signs in its metro stations.

She hopes the country could make systemic improvements regarding its tourism sector and learn from more developed countries such as China.