The 25th session of the UNWTO General Assembly will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan between the 16 and 20 October 2023.
The UNWTO General Assembly is held every two years and gathers the top representatives of the Organization’s Member States, as well as world tourism leaders from the public and private sectors, local authorities, academia, and media.
Provisional Programme (as of 21/07/2023) – UNWTO General Assembly, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Practical information
Country: Uzbekistan
Capital: Tashkent
Largest cities: Tashkent, Samarkand, Namangan, Andijan, Nukus, Fergana, Bukhara and Kokand
Population: 36,001,364 people
Territory: 448,924 km²
About Samarkand: Samarkand is located in south-eastern Uzbekistan, in the Zarafshan River valley, and in distance of 135 km away from Karshi, 240km away from Bukhara, 270 km away from Tashkent. The Tajikistan border is about 35 km from Samarkand, and Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe, is 210km away from Samarkand. Road M39 connects Samarkand to Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan, which is 340 km away.
Samarkand, in ancient times referred to as Afrasiab, is considered to be one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. Evidence of settlements in the region goes back to 1500 BC, with Samarkand having its most significant development in the Timurid period, from the 14th to the 15th centuries,
when it was capital of the powerful temorid realm. The major monuments include the Registan Mosque and madrasas, Bibi-Khanum Mosque, the Shakhi-Zinda compound and the Gur-Emir ensemble, as well as Ulughbek’s Observatory. Being a key connecting city on the Silk Road between China, Persia and Europe, Samarkand is considered as a cradle for trade, culture and science.
Samarkand is coeval with Rome. The city with its ancient buildings was referred to as an open-air museum. Splendid portals, vast coloured domes, and remarkable exterior decorations in majolica, mosaic, marble, and Heritage site in 2001. The greatest poets and philosophers of the world
have given the city many names – the garden of the soul, the pearl of the east, the mirror of the world and even the face of the earth – and yet these do not manage to fully describe the beauty and essence of Samarkand
Climate: In Samarkand, the average air temperature in the fall is +20°C. The minimum temperature on average is +7°C. The maximum temperature is +29°C on average.
Official language: Uzbek
Local time in Samarkand: GMT+5
Local currency and exchange rates: The Uzbek sum (UZS) is used as Uzbekistan’s official currency. Currency exchange rates are set by the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and are available on the Central Bank of Uzbekistan’s official website: https://cbu.uz/en/. From Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., banks are open. There are plainly identified currency exchange offices all across Samarkand. Moreover, hotels have money exchange facilities. The city has a large number of ATMs, and many businesses accept major credit cards.
Electricity: The power supply in Samarkand is 220 volts, 50 Hz AC. Round pins fit into sockets.
Credit cards, shopping and tipping: Visa and MasterCard are the two most common types of cards. Almost all establishments accept card payments. Taxis only accept cash, so participants should carry cash. There are ATMs throughout the city, and in the vast majority of establishments it will be possible to pay for goods and services by card (public transport is paid mostly in cash).
Service charge in Samarkand restaurants is included in the check; depending on the establishment, the percentage for service charge varies from 10 to 25 percent of the cost of the entire order. Tipping is considered voluntary and at the discretion of the consumer.
Health regulations and precautions: It is not necessary to be vaccinated against any disease in order to travel to Uzbekistan
Tourism Information
Uzbekistan www.uzbekistan.travel
Samarkand www.uzbekistan.travel/en/i/samarkand
Samarkand Hotels Unravel Travel TV link to Samarkand Hotels
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