FAMILY ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A DRIVER OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE TOURISM SECTOR: REGIONAL DISPARITIES AND INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS IN UZBEKISTAN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20689358Keywords:
family entrepreneurship; tourism employment; self-employment; regional differences; household; institutional mechanism; Uzbekistan.Abstract
The article examines the contribution of family-run businesses to employment generation in
Uzbekistan’s tourism sector and identifies significant regional differences in their distribution. Based on official
statistics for 2016–2025, the analysis demonstrates that tourism employment increased from 170.9 thousand
to 290.6 thousand people, while exports of tourism services per capita rose tenfold to 122.2 US dollars. At
the same time, this indicator remains five to seven times lower than the corresponding levels of Kazakhstan
and the Russian Federation, indicating considerable opportunities for further growth. A comparative regional
analysis of the shares of families and family enterprises highlights leading regions (Samarkand, Khorezm,
Navoi, and Bukhara) as well as regions with additional development potential (Andijan, Namangan, Syrdarya,
Tashkent region, and Tashkent city). A three-channel institutional mechanism comprising wage employment,
entrepreneurial employment, and self-employment, supported by microcredit, training, and land allocation, is
presented in a hierarchical framework. Based on the findings, targeted recommendations aimed at enhancing
employment opportunities and strengthening family entrepreneurship across the regions are proposed.
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