Uzbekistan, Malaysia launch creative tourism project to promote pilgrimage and cultural destinations
Uzbekistan and Malaysia have launched a collaborative creative tourism project to digitally promote Uzbekistan's tourism potential, historical and cultural sites, and pilgrimage destinations. The Malaysian television channel Berita RTM featured this initiative in a special program highlighting Uzbekistan's tourism sector and the growth of pilgrimage tourism.
Titled "Uzbekistan – Malaysia: Creative Tourism," the project was conceived by University of Technology Malaysia (UITM) professors Badrul Bin Isa and Norfadilakh Kamaruddin. It is being executed in partnership with Uzbekistan's Tourism Committee, the Uzbek Embassy in Malaysia, and the Center for Islamic Civilization. The project's primary goal is to generate visual content showcasing Uzbekistan's tourist attractions to international audiences, particularly those in ASEAN nations and the Muslim world.
From August 17 to 31, a team of professional Malaysian photographers and designers will be in Uzbekistan. They will conduct filming and photography in Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khorezm, covering several of the country's key historical and cultural landmarks. The content will emphasize Uzbekistan's historical legacy, pilgrimage sites, national culture, and recent advancements in its tourism sector.
The photographs and videos created during this project will be disseminated via digital and social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. This visual storytelling approach through social media aims to inform online audiences about Uzbekistan's destinations and tourism offerings. Uzbek university students studying design, art, tourism, and hospitality will also participate, fostering opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange with Malaysian experts in academia, tourism, and creative industries.
Professor Badrul Bin Isa stated that one of the project's aims is to enhance awareness of Uzbekistan among audiences in Southeast Asia and other Muslim-majority markets through digital formats. He expressed a desire for "residents of the ASEAN region to rediscover Uzbekistan with its rich historical heritage, high culture, and hospitable people." Badrul also connected the project to Uzbekistan's upcoming 35th anniversary of independence, noting that the initiative's outcomes would be presented in conjunction with this milestone. The project is part of broader efforts to promote Uzbekistan's tourism destinations in ASEAN countries and increase understanding of its pilgrimage tourism opportunities.
Pilgrimage sites and Islamic cultural heritage will be prominent themes in the content produced during the Malaysian team's visit. The initiative also seeks to combine tourism promotion with cooperation between Uzbek and Malaysian specialists and students in visual arts, tourism, and hospitality. Following the filming period between August 17 and 31, the resulting materials are slated for distribution across major digital platforms to promote Uzbekistan's tourism brand and destinations to audiences in Malaysia, the wider ASEAN region, and the Muslim world.