On September 4, 2026, the regular meeting of the Coordination Council for Tourism Development in the Republic of Karakalpakstan was held in Nukus. The meeting was attended by representatives of government authorities, the tourism industry, the business community, tour operators, representatives of food service establishments, and civil society organizations.

The main topics of the meeting included further development of the region’s tourism sector, improvement of tourism products, strengthening cooperation between the government and the private sector, and enhancing the quality of tourism services.

Particular attention was paid to the development of gastronomic tourism as one of the promising areas for promoting the tourism potential of Karakalpakstan.

The meeting was also attended by T. Turdimurotov, Head of the Karakalpakstan Branch of the Public Fund for Support of Civil Society Institutions under the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan. He shared his views on the work carried out within the project and its achievements, noting that the Fund’s efforts to support initiatives of civil society institutions and create new opportunities for them are yielding positive results.

According to him, supporting practical projects such as “QR Gastronomic Quality” contributes not only to the implementation of civil society initiatives, but also to the introduction of modern approaches in the tourism and food service sectors, improvement of service quality, and creation of new opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

M. Kosnazarov, Director of the Public Association “DMO Karakalpakstan,” presented the results of the “QR Gastronomic Quality” project, implemented under a social order from the Public Fund for Support of Civil Society Institutions under the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan. As part of the project, consumer preference studies, educational seminars and training sessions for representatives of the food service sector were conducted. Recommendations for improving service quality were also developed, and an electronic platform and mobile application called “QR Gastronomic” were created. These tools have already been introduced at more than 30 food service establishments across the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

A practical continuation of the project was the “QR Gastronomic Quality – 2026” festival, which featured the first-ever competition in Karakalpakstan to assess the quality of service in restaurants and cafés. The event marked an important step toward introducing modern service standards and enhancing the competitiveness of food service establishments.

During the meeting, the participants also presented the experience gained during a familiarization trip to Malaysia by the winners of the competition. Representatives of three winning restaurants visited leading establishments in the country’s restaurant industry, explored international practices in the development of gastronomic tourism, and learned about modern approaches to restaurant business management. Of particular interest was the visit to Beta KL, a restaurant awarded one Michelin star by the Michelin Guide, as well as a meeting with representatives of Tourism Malaysia, where participants learned about the country’s experience in promoting its tourism potential. Following the trip, representatives of the restaurants shared their newly acquired knowledge and proposals for introducing international best practices in Karakalpakstan.

G. Yuldashev, Director of the Public Association “Karakalpak Culinary Art,” spoke about the importance of gastronomic festivals in preserving and promoting national culinary heritage. He emphasized that such events contribute not only to the development of gastronomic tourism but also to the formation of a positive image of the region.

Tour operators from Karakalpakstan presented proposals for further developing tourist routes. The discussion focused on opportunities to expand tourism products by incorporating gastronomic establishments, national cuisine, and local culinary traditions. This would make tourism offerings in the region more attractive to both domestic and international tourists.

The meeting was held in an open-dialogue format and served as an effective platform for exchanging experience, presenting practical results of implemented projects, and discussing new initiatives aimed at the sustainable development of the tourism sector of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.