MEASURING TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY IN KHOREZM REGION: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM INDICATOR APPROACH

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22774165

Abstract

This study develops a Sustainable Tourism Indicator (STI) framework for assessing tourism sustainability in the Khorezm Region of Uzbekistan. The framework integrates the UN Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (SF-MST), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and ISO 18060:2026. Five dimensions– economic, social, environmental, infrastructural, and governance—are assessed through 36 indicators using min–max normalization and a combined weighting method. Based on official regional statistics for 2019–2025, the study identifies strong growth in tourism capacity and market activity, while highlighting opportunities to strengthen the measurement of environmental and social dimensions. The findings emphasize the importance of monitoring water and energy consumption, waste generation, local economic benefits, community participation, and governance effectiveness.

Keywords

sustainable tourism, sustainable tourism indicators, composite index, Khorezm Region, destination sustainability, tourism policy, Uzbekistan, regional development

References

European Commission. The European Tourism Indicator System: ETIS Toolkit for Sustainable Destination Management [Electronic resource]. – Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2016. – URL: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/4b90d965-eff8-11e5-8529-01aa75ed71a1 (date accessed: 15.09.2026). – DOI: 10.2873/983087.

Global Sustainable Tourism Council. GSTC Destination Criteria with Performance Indicators. Version 2.0 [Electronic resource]. – 2019. – URL: https://www.gstc.org/wp-content/uploads/GSTC-Destination-Criteriav2.0.pdf (date accessed: 15.09.2026).

International Organization for Standardization. ISO 18060:2026. Sustainable Tourism — Indicators for Organizations in the Tourism Value Chain — Requirements and Guidance for Use [Electronic resource]. – Geneva: ISO, 2026. – URL: https://www.iso.org/standard/85169.html (date accessed: 15.09.2026). 4 развитие автора

Karimov, M. (2026). Sustainable Tourism Development in Uzbekistan’s Khorezm Region: An Empirical Assessment / M. Karimov. Current Issues in Tourism. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2026.2648872

Miller, G. (2023). Measuring Sustainable Tourism: A State-of-the-Art Review of Sustainable Tourism Indicators / G. Miller, A. Torres-Delgado. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 31(7), 1483–1496. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2023.2213859

National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Volume of Travel Agencies, Tour Operator Services, Booking and Other Related Services [Electronic resource]. – 2025. – URL: https://stat.uz/en/ press-center/news-of-committee/64321-turistik-agentliklar-2-2-trln-s-mlik-khizmatlar-k-rsatgan-4.

National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In 2025, the Volume of Accommodation and Food Services Reached UZS 227 Trillion [Electronic resource]. – 2026. – URL: https://stat.uz/en/presscenter/news-of-committee/67017-2025-jilda-yashash-va-ov-atlanish-khizmatlari-azhmi-227-trln-s-mgaetdi-4.

National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. SIAT Database: Number of Hotels and Similar Accommodation Facilities [Electronic resource]. – 2026. – URL: https://siat.stat.uz/data/864/?lang=en.

OECD. OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2024 [Electronic resource]. – Paris: OECD Publishing, 2024. – 353 p. – URL: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2024_80885d8b-en. html. – DOI: 10.1787/80885d8b-en.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Resolution No. PP-394 “On Measures for the Further Development of the Tourism Potential of the Khorezm Region for 2024–2026”, dated 15 November 2024 [Electronic resource]. – URL: https://lex.uz/docs/7223763.

Tanguay G., A. (2013). Sustainable Tourism Indicators: Selection Criteria for Policy Implementation and Scientific Recognition / G. A. Tanguay, J. Rajaonson, M.-C. Therrien. Journal of Sustainable Tourism.

– No. 6. – P. 862–879. – DOI: 10.1080/09669582.2012.742531.

UN Tourism. Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (SF-MST) [Electronic resource]. – Madrid: UN Tourism, 2024. – URL: https://unstats.un.org/UNSDWebsite/statcom/session_55/ documents/BG-4a-SF-MST-E.pdf.

United Nations Environment Programme; World Tourism Organization. Making Tourism More Sustainable: A Guide for Policy Makers [Electronic resource]. – Paris; Madrid: UNEP; World Tourism Organization, 2005. – URL: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/561577.

United Nations. Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development [Electronic resource]. – New York: United Nations, 2015. – URL: https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda.

Downloads

Published

2026-09-15

How to Cite

Zaripov, T. Y. ugli. (2026). MEASURING TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY IN KHOREZM REGION: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM INDICATOR APPROACH. ECONOSCITECH INTEGRATION, 3(9), 374–378. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22774165
Vol. 3 No. 9 (2026): Social, economic, scientific and technical academic journal