DUSHANBE (TCA) — In his annual address to Tajikistan’s Parliament on December 26, President Emomali Rahmon suggested a number of measures to develop tourism and attract more foreign visitors to Tajikistan, Avesta news agency reported.
According to the president, today more than 200 tourist companies operate in Tajikistan and 15 tourism infrastructure projects are implemented in the country on concessional conditions.
“More than a million foreign tourists visited Tajikistan in the first nine months of this year, a 20-percent increase compared to the same period last year,” the president said.
Rahmon emphasized the necessity of training personnel for the tourism industry and suggested establishing an Institute of Tourism, Entrepreneurship and Services.
“I suggest to issue a multiple visa for five years to foreigners that invest more than US $1 million in the economy of Tajikistan. I suggest that foreign citizens who can now receive a simplified visa to have the possibility of receiving a multiple tourist visa for up to 60 days,” the president said.
The president also suggested to issue a multiple three-year visa to ethnic Tajiks who are citizens of foreign countries, to simplify their visits to their historical homeland.
In recent years, the government of Tajikistan has focused on the development of the tourism industry in an effort to bring in more foreign cash to the country and create new jobs in this sector.
