Khanabad town in Andizhan Province calls up an association with the Air Force Base functioning there, which was established by anti-terrorist coalition member-states, the US in particular.

 In near future, however, this region will also become a health resort area for the entire Fergana Valley: the construction of Khanabad sanatorium has begun there, and will become a rest home for 200 people.

According to Uzbekiston Resort-Sanitary JSC, in 2005, after the completion of the construction, the population of the region will be given the opportunity for an active holiday, prophylactic treatment, and spa treatments. The sanatorium will mainly specialize in cardiology, neurology, and treatment for respiratory and locomotive system diseases.

The construction budget totals 8.86 billion sums, of which 2.1 billion have been disbursed already. It is planned to spend 3.65 billion in 2004, and 3.04 billion in 2005. Of the planned 2.2 billion sums from the state budget, 900 million sums have been disbursed, said a representative of Uzbekiston JSC. The local regional administration will also contribute to construction finance.

Health resort tourism is deeply rooted in Uzbekistan. In 1989 the portion of sanatorium-health resort and sanitation services constituted 1.6% of all services rendered to the population. Later this position didn't change, while the share of tourist excursions declined. In 1990, sanatoriums and rest homes were receiving more than 6,000 people wishing to come and rest with their families, and 1,200 people seeking for medical treatment. Besides, at that time there were 111 one- and two-day rest homes, with accommodation for a total of 5,400 people.

Even then experts noted that the network of sanatoriums and health resorts providing medical treatment and rest didn't meet the population's requirements. Only about 1.6 million people (i.e. 8% of the total population) could rest and undergo treatment there.

Now health resort tourism is getting its "second wind". Many health resorts have been built in highlands or on plains, depending on peculiar sights. By private experts' calculations, now the share of the health resort system's services ranges from 5 to 15% of the total volume of internal tourism in Uzbekistan. But it is quite possible to raise this capacity to 40%.

To this end, apart from appropriate marketing and management of health resorts, together with proper advertising, and the promotion of the health resort tourism product on the domestic and foreign markets, the entire health resort infrastructure will be reorganized. Most of the projects were built in compliance with Soviet architecture canons and do not meet international standards.

Moreover, a major part of existing sanatoriums and health resorts answers the requirements of two- or three-star categories, at best. To awake foreign consumers' interest, not less than 40% of the projects need to reach four-star level, or better. Highways, access roads, bridges, solid waste removal, power and water supply, heating, sewerage, and telephone and computer communications - these are primary problems to be solved right now, and of course they need certain investments.

One of the promising spheres in the republic's health resort tourism is mountain recreation. It possesses considerable material and natural resources. According to official data, more than 60 mineral water springs with various chemical compositions have been found in Uzbek mountains, and a number of balneal sanatoriums and clinics were established around them. The production of mineral table-waters has been organized in Tashkent, Fergana, Chartak, and Samarkand.



Semashko Institute for Balneology and Physiotherapy of Uzbekistan has recommended the construction of health-centers in zones located in mountains in Samarkand, Tashkent, Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya, and Namangan Provinces. These areas are notable for multiform natural-recreation conditions and can become excellent tourist centers for both domestic and foreign visitors.

At present there are 13 types of medicinal mineral waters widespread on Uzbekistan's territory, which have proved to be highly effective in treatment of various diseases. According to experts' estimation, these springs are not inferior to Caucasian springs and those found in foreign health resorts in terms of their quantity and quality.

Lake Balykchi located in Jizak Province is the only source of medicinal mud that is used in hospitals. According to calculations, the resource of this mud center constitutes 177,500 cubic meters. This is enough to meet the needs of sanitary health resorts and physiotherapy-based hospitals for 25-30 years.

Today Uzbek experts are considering the possibilities for a serious breakthrough in the health resort sector of the tourist market. To do so, not only the efforts of UzbekTourism National Company, some private firms, and the Uzbek Health Ministry are necessary, but of other adjoining branches as well, such as transport, building, police, etc. With a proper approach, we can predict rise in the national health resort system's utilization by 20% in 2010 already, including the attraction of foreign tourists.