TASHKENT, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan's recently introduced seven-day visa-free regime scheme for Chinese citizens will help sharply increase the number of tourists from China, an Uzbek official has said.

"China has a huge tourism potential ... this policy is pragmatic and timely," Ulugbek Azamov, deputy chairman of the Uzbek State Committee for Tourism Development, told Xinhua in an interview on Friday.

Azamov said Uzbekistan has abolished visa requirements for citizens of many nations in a bid to develop tourism in recent years, with the number of countries listed on its visa-free regime reaching 86.

"Last year's experience showed that the number of tourists coming from these countries has increased to 58 percent," he added.

The deputy chairman noted that 54,000 Chinese tourists visited Uzbekistan in 2019 -- and this year the figure could be doubled.

"We are expecting within 90,000 to 100,000 tourists from China," he said. "We are working on the opening of new flights between Uzbekistan and major Chinese cities."

He added that the State Committee for Tourism Development is constantly working to attract more foreign tourists, with measures such as providing information for foreign tourists in their native languages.

The tourism committee is cooperating with the Embassy of Uzbekistan in China to prepare guidebooks for tourists, Azamov said, noting that the committee will also train professional Chinese language translators, guides, and chefs.

"A special Silk Road (International Tourism) University under the Tourism Committee was opened in Samarkand to address these kinds of issues," the tourism official added. Enditem

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