OREANDA-NEWS. On January 14, 2009 a presentation of the tourism potential of Uzbekistan was held in Westphal city of Muster. The event was organized by the Studiosus Gruppenreisen GmbH Travel Company and AWO-Treff organization with the assistance of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Germany, Jahon reported.

Among the participants were the representatives of travel companies, organizations and media specialized in the field of tourism, as well as public figures of the city of Munster and the federal land of Northern Rein-Westphalia.

A representative of the Studiosus Gruppenreisen GmbH, geographer-ethnographer Christopher Maler delivered a speech as a part of the presentation. The German expert specifically pointed out the invaluable contribution of the Uzbek cities of Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva to the world civilization through assistance in the development of trade and cultural exchange between the East and the West. It is worth pointing out that the citizens of Munster are very careful about the architectural heritage of their city, which nicely matches with its modern look.

According to the scientist, one of the main values of Uzbekistan making it stand out among, is the abundance and diversity of historical architectural monuments, the majority of which hold a special place in the world cultural heritage. This is an important factor assisting the development of tourism in Uzbekistan, because foreign tourists, particularly Europeans, are attracted mostly by the country’s historical sites.

In this context, the largest work carried out in Uzbekistan over the years of independence to conserve and restore the historical-cultural sites, and develop the tourism industry as a whole was noted. In particular, it was pointed out that the Government is putting strong efforts to create opportunities for the expansion and activation of private travel companies, which now offer a wide range of high quality services.

The representative of the Studiosus Gruppenreisen GmbH spoke in detail about the beauty of nature and landscapes of Uzbekistan, pointing out their special attractiveness from the viewpoint of tourism. He told the audience about rich traditions of the Uzbek nation that may be of great interest to foreign guests. The German scientist specifically emphasized the hospitality and positive attitude of local people.

As a part of the presentation, a film “The Treasury of Uzbekistan” was demonstrated, and an exhibition of photographs of Uzbekistan made by German photographer Johen Bruk was held. Speaking at the presentation, Bruk noted that after his first visit to Uzbekistan last year as a part of a tourist group, he was deeply impressed by the diverse features of local nature and landscapes, the beauty of architectural monuments, and rich and colourful cultural customs and traditions of the Uzbek people. He specifically noted that all his impressions motivated him to create a photo-gallery about Uzbekistan.