Emotur and Spain Living Lab have established a strategic collaboration with the Scientific Research Institute for Tourism Development (TDI), a leading institution based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing tourism through applied research, digital innovation, and sustainable development.
Founded in 2019 by presidential decree and operating under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Uzbekistan, TDI plays a pivotal role in shaping the country’s tourism strategy. Its work focuses on integrating smart technologies, data analytics, and territorial intelligence into tourism planning, with active research lines in cultural tourism, medical tourism, and digital destination management.
The collaboration will focus on:
- Joint research and innovation projects in smart tourism systems, data-driven governance, and digital transformation
- Knowledge exchange and capacity building, including seminars, academic mobility, and professional training programs
- Cultural heritage valorization, with emphasis on the Silk Road and UNESCO-listed cities such as Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva
Uzbekistan has emerged as one of Central Asia’s fastest-growing economies, with a GDP growth rate of 6.5% in 2024 (IMF, 2025) and a national GDP estimated at $115 billion (World Bank). Tourism has become a key driver of diversification, with over 10 million international visitors in 2024 alone. The revitalization of the Silk Road and strategic investments in infrastructure have positioned the country as a high-value destination for cultural and educational tourism.
This agreement reinforces our commitment to building global networks for tourism innovation and opens new pathways for collaborative research and scalable solutions across diverse geographies.