STRATEGIC PATHWAYS FOR CULTURAL TOURISM ENHANCEMENT IN UZBEKISTAN: AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, DIGITAL INTEGRATION, AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The subject of this research is the development of cultural tourism in Uzbekistan. The focus is on how infrastructure quality, digitization and sustainable management of heritage sitesre connected. To gather data a mixed-methods approach was used. A total of 524 tourists were surveyed about their experiences at major Silk Road locations like Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. In addition 18 experts were interviewed through in-depth sessions. The data collected were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that transportation and accommodation infrastructure have a direct effect, on visitor satisfaction (β = 0.412 p < 0.001). Digitization also plays a role significantly shaping the overall perception of the tourist sites (β = 0.235, p < 0.001)..Moreover, a longer duration of stay and higher daily expenditure are positively related to the perceived authentic cultural experience (β = 0.358, p < 0.001). Through the analysis of descriptive method, friction in international card payments and localized online navigation came out to be the prime constraint in operation. Practical recommendations to enhance sustainable economic benefit have been made based on the advocation for establishing high-speed transport networks and creating online portals for tourists, in addition to promoting cross-border fintechs and tourism initiatives supported by local community.