Uzbekistan tourism industry looks to tap into China as 'key player'

"Uzbekistan is an active participant in the initiative," said Aziz, adding that the country will beef up efforts in infrastructure, such as logistical facilities and hotels, with Chinese investments.

Uzbekistan has big potential and boasts a unique culture, magnificent ancient mosques and a number of scenic spots which will appeal to jaded visitors who have seen many of the regular tourism hot spots, said Han Junfeng, director of a Chinese travel agency.

But flights, catering and hospitality have become a bottleneck for the industry and the country should upgrade its infrastructure to cope with higher Chinese passenger flows, Han said.

Tao Jian, an aviation insider from Shaanxi province said: "Only about 23,000 Chinese travelers visited Uzbekistan in the past year, that's not enough. ... Only when more flight routes are opened will it be possible to further develop the tourism market."

She is working on opening new routes from China to Uzbekistan with her partners and progress is encouraging, Tao said.

To woo more tourists to stay and spend, the government is supporting the building of more hotels, restaurants, theme parks and ethnic villages.

According to Aziz, there were 854 hotels in Uzbekistan by September, an increase of 141 percent compared to January last year.

One of the country's historic attractions is Mingtepa city in the Andizhan region, a crucial landmark on the ancient Silk Road providing valuable clues about the ancient Da Yuan kingdom.

From 2012, experts from the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences have collaborated with the Archaeological Institute of the Uzbekistan Academy of Science to excavate the Mingtepa ruins and have discovered that the site is one of the largest and oldest of its kind in Uzbekistan.

Ismanov Adhamjon, head of the local tourism department, said: "We need Chinese travel agencies to promote Mingtepa."

Elzod Kosimov, deputy governor of the Tashkent region in charge of investment, said: "Local governments, entrepreneurs and locals welcome Chinese investors. We absolutely support the Belt and Road Initiative."