Potential of Islamic tourism worth $230 billion by 2028: Speakers.

ISLAMABAD -- The speakers at the tourism (Ziyarah) conference held in Uzbekistan said that the potential of Islamic tourism is US $230 billion by 2028 which can play a significant role in the economic integration of Islamic counties.

They said that currently the population of the Muslim world is 2.3 billion, which is 27 percent of the world's population, which has a great potential for economic activities and tourism.

The Tourism (Ziyarah) conference and " International Ziyarah Tourism Week" was held in Samarkand (Uzbekistan) organized by the Uzbekistan's Ministry of tourism and Cultural heritage.

The Speakers said that every year 160 million Muslim tourists do religious duty or other international tourist tours, whose number will increase to 230 by 2028.

They said that Uzbekistan being the center of Islamic culture and heritage can play a major role for promotion of Islamic tourism, today's Ziyarah conference is a sign that Uzbekistan is making serious efforts in this regard.

Meanwhile, while addressing the tourism (Ziyarah) conference held in Samarkand (Uzbekistan), Uzbekistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Cultural Heritage Aziz Abduhakimov said that this year our government decided to organize "International Ziyarah Tourism Week" for the promotion of Islamic tourism.

In this year 2022, 150 delegates from different countries are participating in this tourism (Ziyarah) Conference years 2022, and they will give their opinions for the promotion of Islamic tourism during this time, he said.

Deputy PM said that this has been officially declared as the year of tourism in Uzbekistan and Islamic tourism has great potential in Uzbekistan.

He said that the cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva of Uzbekistan cities have shrines of Saints and schalors, and along with that, many famous Muslim scholars and scientists were born in this country,who gained world fame in their field.

Aziz Abduhakimov said the tourism Conference to be held in Uzbekistan will increase the tourism integration with all the Muslim countries of the world.

He said that holding such a conference would strengthen Uzbekistan's partnership with other countries in the future and promote local tourism.

He said that there is a lot of potential for Islamic tourism in Uzbekistan which can be visited by tourists from Islamic countries.

Uzbek Deputy PM said that the leadership of Uzbekistan is paying full attention to the promotion of tourism here and tourism has a...