Silk Road
Samarkand – on the great MICE road
SIMON GEORGE JOINS THE SILK ROAD IN SAMARKAND AND FINDS AN EXCITING DESTINATION WELL PLACED TO CAPITALISE ON UZBEKISTAN ’ S MICE POTENTIAL
T ake one fabled city in Central Asia ; add in government commitment to develop tourism , both leisure and business ; build new infrastructure to stage large MICE events , luxury hotels to accommodate delegates and a new airport costing $ 80m to ensure their smooth arrival . Then mix in the commercial vision and ambition of the founder , a local businessman with deep pockets . And , finally , add a dash of exotic appeal from legendary figures such as military ruler Amir Timur ( Tamerlane ) and astronomer Mirzo Ulugbek and you have the Silk Road Samarkand tourist complex – constructed for a cost of approximately $ 637m and completed in 2022 – in a nutshell . Uzbekistan ’ s oldest city is well connected and has huge growth potential as an emerging international meetings and events destination that offers sharply rising tourist arrivals , an easy visa regime and favourable demographics .
Infrastructure in place Built in just two and a half years , opened in August 2022 and responsible for hosting the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation the following month ( its first major conference and a key learning experience ), Silk Road Samarkand is a 260-hectare tourist complex situated some 10 kilometres from the historic centre ( Registan Square ) and close to Samarkand ’ s new airport , where passenger traffic has grown 40 % yJanuary-August 2024 .
Sixty percent owned by the founder Bakhtiyor Fazilov , a Samarkand-born businessman whose diversified business interests include aviation , oil and gas , engineering , construction , banking and tourism and hospitality , and 40 % owned by the National Bank of Uzbekistan , the complex comprises a collection of luxury 5-star and 4-star hotels operated by Hilton and China ’ s Minyoun chains ; two wellness hotels , an eco village , its own congress centre and an ‘ Eternal City ’ that showcases Uzbekistan ’ s ancient traditions and culture .
To further enhance its tourist appeal ,
“ Registan Square , dating back to Tamerlane in the 15th century , forms the picture postcard heart of ancient Samarkand .”
Left : Registan Square
Uzbekistan
Where : Central Asia ( landlocked , surrounded by Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Afghanistan and Turkmenistan ) Population : 36 million Language : Uzbek but Russian is widely spoken Samarkand flight times From London : 9.5 hours From Abu Dhabi : 4 hours From Beijing : 6 hours Currency : Som : USD1 = 12,800 som Main industries : Gas , metals ( gold , copper ), cotton , tobacco agriculture
there are plans to open a water park , a beach area and expand its sports facilities with tennis courts and a professional golf course . The complex operates shuttle buses to ferry delegates around and is landscaped with thousands of saplings imported from abroad .
Key tourist attractions Registan Square ( the sandy place ) dating back to the time of Tamerlane in the 15th century , forms the picture postcard heart of ancient Samarkand , a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features three madrassahs ( religious schools ).
Shah-i-Zinda in the north-east of the city is a collection of eleven mausoleums for historic rulers and nobility built during the 14-15th centuries and decorated with the city ’ s distinctive turquoise majolica tilework .
For food shopping , the vibrant Siab Bazaar , covering five hectares , sells everything from spices , flatbreads , vegetables , fruit ( including the ubiquitous water melon ) and artisan crafts .
Event space Event space is not in short supply , enabling the resort to cater for both large and small business events . The 5-star Hilton Samarkand Regency offers four large high-tech conference
24 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 132