Each region of Uzbekistan is unique not only with its natural features, but also with  rich heritage, its unique and diverse traditions, way of life.. Therefore, an annual increasing  the number of tourists from all over the world wish to get acquainted with local flavor and breathe its air. Andijan region, which has a high potential in tourism, is ready to provide all conditions for tourists from all over the world.

Situated in the eastern part of the Fergana Valley, the region has 14 districts and 11 cities with a total area of 4.2 thousand sq.km. The climate is rather mild. In summer it is hot, the winter is cold. This is the thing that makes it possible to offer tourist services during whole the year, to master new trends in the industry.

In the region, there are more than 370 objects of cultural heritage. Each of them is an unread page of the past. "Jami" and "Ahmadbek Khodzhi hotel", "Kutayba bin Muslim", "Shirmonbulok" and "Imam ota" are the main sights of Andijan, as well as the monument of "Mingtep", and the resort zones of  "Hontok" and "Fosilmon Ota" are known and popular not only in the Asian region but also far beyond its borders. Researchers from many foreign countries, such as France, Japan and China, are conducting research here. 

The selling stalls of old-city craftsmen in Andijan are full of foreign guests day and night. Here live and work the hereditary craftsmen continuing this profession of their fathers and great-grandfathers. This allows tourists to become closer to the process of creating national crafts and to become a part of this very interesting but at the same time very difficult process.
Modern hotels are being built in the region to provide tourists with high quality services. In the city of Andijan only,  there are 20 hotels, such as "Bogishamol", "Andijan", "Andijan elite", "Karvonsaroy", "Afrosiob", "Hamkor" and others.

"In connection with the priorities indicated by the head of our state in sectoral decisions and resolutions, the region has developed a draft of targeted measures to increase the volume of tourism and export of tourism services," said Adhamjon Usmanov, the authorized representative of the State Tourism Development Committee for the Andijan region. According to him, the scale of work on reconstruction and improvement of tourist facilities, improving the quality of services, the development of tourism and tourism infrastructure is increasing every day.

In addition, to create additional amenities for tourists, services for renting cars and selling air tickets around the world have been started..

Regular events, such as "Palov Saili”, a special festival of cooking a national dish pilaf,  are widely used to attract tourists, familiarize them with national traditions and customs, and also to create tea houses (chaikhana) along with modern infrastructure facilities. A good example, can be the establishment of a 1,000-seat tea house near the shrine "Merpostin ota" serves to increase the regional tourist potential.

The journey begins with a memory of the past

Visitors arriving in Andijan, from the beginning of their journey, get acquainted with the activities of museums. Since this is a highly cultural place - it is a bridge that connects the past with the present. To date, there are 5 museums in the region, of which the Museum of Country Studies clearly stands out.

Founded in 1934, this museum exhibits over 30,000 unique exhibits, which tell the history of the peoples of the Ferghana Valley. The visitors of the exhibition are very interested in the nature of the valley, natural resources, historical documents and literature, including about 300 works of fine art, more than 1000 works of applied art. Currently, the museum also has branches in Asaka, Shahrikhan, Kurgantepe, Ulugnor, Jalakuduk.

Madrasah Jami, located nearby to the Museum, is another historical monument, built in 1883-1890. The length of the complex, consisting of mosques, madrasahs and towers (minarets), is 123 meters long. Madrasah was built in the direction to the east. In the middle of the square there is a roof. On both sides there are two minarets. On the corners there are domed classes (darsxona), between them two-storeyed rooms (hujra).

In the western part of the complex there is a mosque. The mosque is designed in a rectangular shape and consists of three terraces (aivans) on the sides with columns and a finishing plate above. The height of the tower is 32 meters.

At the initiative of the governor (khokim) of the Andijan region, the reconstruction works in the city give a new impulse to the complex. This will be the main venue for cultural and enlightment activities in the future.

Crescent of Andijan

Currently, following the program of tourism development, historical monuments and sanctuaries are being reconstructed in the region. In particular, the ‘Devonaboy’ mosque, which is closely connected with the history, value and way of life in the region. Its magnificent towers, magnificent architecture of modern and eastern architecture, were complemented by a magnificent gate with four entrances, balconies, and also majestic walls which increasingly transform the city.

One of the places attracting foreign tourists is the archaeological site of Mingtepa in the Markhamat area. It has two and a half thousand years of history and is included in the UNESCO heritage list.
 As we learned from historical sources, it was the capital of the state of Mingtepa Davan (Fergana). As a result of a five year research, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan discovered the ruins of a large city with a diameter of 2-2.5 meters. Various artifacts of defense walls, internal and external roads, fortresses and people's ways of life are told in unfinished pages of history.
"The fact that the walls of the defense were built of burnt clay at the same time is a distinctive feature of architecture," says Bokijon Matboboyev, a scholar of the ancient history of the region. - Despite the millennial period, the walls were well preserved, ceramic products and building materials show that at that time construction craftsmanship was highly developed.
At present, the joint international archaeological expedition between Uzbekistan and China is in the search of the largest ancient monument of the Fergana Valley - Mingepa. The Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Samarkand), the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Social Sciences of the People's Republic of China (Beijing), the International Babur Foundation, scientists and experts, as well as the students and teachers of the history of Andijan State University take part in the excavations.
The excavations show that Mingtepa was a developed and prosperous city, dating back from the 2nd century BC. until the 5th-6th centuries AD, when the Great Silk Road began. Archaeological research continues at this place where the wisdom and secrets of centuries are still hidden.

Tandem: visits and travel

The vast majority of sacred places in the region have recently become a kind of tourist destination - the development of touristic tourism. The sanctuary of Fazilman-ota is one of those blessed places. At this place, all the conditions for visiting and reading the holy book of Muslims - the Koran - are created.
Another remarkable aspect of this area is the existence of a spring. Its magnificence is more than 600 years. It has long been the main source of water for its inhabitants. The water from this spring origin is recommended for the treatment of more than ten diseases. 56 plane trees around the spring cares the ages and penetrating the sky with dignity.
The flow of foreign visitors attracting Fozilman-ota is growing. Therefore, the number of visitors from countries such as Italy, Germany, China, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and other countries is growing year by year.

“Switzerland” of Uzbekistan

During the visit of the head of state to the Andijan region on June 2-3, 2017, the head of our state visited the city of Khanabad and instructed to turn this landmark into a tourist destination of "Switzerland of Uzbekistan". At the same time, the large-scale work here shows that the city will become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the near future.
Khanabad is the most shady region in the valley. Five rivers and canals flowing through the city and the Andijan reservoir, taking the third place by its size in the country, make the climate temperate.
According to the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of July 28, 2017 "On the integrated development of the city of Khanabad of Andijan region for 2017-2019", 432 billion 600 million soums will be directed for construction and improvement of infrastructure in the next three years.

"The work aimed at increasing domestic and ecotourism in the city of Khanabad, has elevated the spirit of Andijan people," said the chief imam of the city, Mansurbek Rakhimov. "As a result of constructive work this year, the 200-bed sanatorium “Khanabad”  will start functioning this year, which has not been completed in the last ten years. In addition, 20 hectares of adjoining area of 150 hectares will be transformed into a recreation area, and the rest of the territory will be planted seedlings of nuts, pistachios, almonds, and vineyards.

It is worth noting that the construction of the bridge across the "Chernaya reka" on the highway Dushanbe-Bishkek-Termez, which was suspended in 2003, will be completed this year. Most importantly, an electrified train that runs along the Andizhan-Khanabad route will start operating. To implement this project, by the end of this year the activity of OSC “Uzbekistan Railways” became more active. All this is of great importance, since it is aimed at making "Switzerland” of Uzbekistan one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in our country.

As for the perspective of ecotourism, it is worth mentioning that the first projects were implemented around water reservoirs in the regions of Pakhtaabad and Ulunnor. Gastronomic tourism is rapidly spreading in the Balykchy and Khoja abad regions.

There are places where foreign tourists can not only observe the process of preparing national dishes, but also have the opportunity to participate directly in the cooking process. Naturally, the process of preparing our royal dish-pilaf is of interest to everyone.

The development of the tourism industry in the region spontaneously generates the construction of hotels. Andijan State University and Andijan Technical College train specialists in the major of hotel business. There are additional courses for young specialists to master 7 foreign languages, which allows them to practice in modern hotels. These reforms, which are held for the development of the tourist industry, are the sign of the success of the Golden Valley - the success of Andijan tourism.

Samindjon HUSANOV,
Correspondent of the "Xalq so’zi".