THE ROLE OF NATIONAL HERITAGE ASSETS IN SHAPING UZBEKISTAN’S TOURISM IMAGE: SPATIAL CONCENTRATION, CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS AND CROSS-NATIONAL BENCHMARKING

Abstract

This article examines the regional distribution of cultural heritage assets in Uzbekistan and the concentration of international tourist flows across the country. The Herfindahl–Hirschman Index and the Gini coefficient are used to measure disparities between the distribution of heritage assets and visitor flows. Regression models are applied to investigate the relationships between the number of cultural heritage assets, accommodation capacity and tourist arrivals. The study also benchmarks Uzbekistan against other countries to assess international arrivals in relation to the number of UNESCO World Heritage properties. The findings indicate that tourist flows are substantially more concentrated geographically than cultural heritage assets and that accommodation infrastructure is an important factor associated with visitor distribution. Based on these findings, the article proposes measures to expand accommodation capacity in heritage-rich regions, systematically monitor regional tourism indicators and integrate tourist itineraries to support a more balanced distribution of tourism activity and benefits across Uzbekistan.