ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES OF UZBEKISTAN AS AN ECOLOGICAL TOURS AND EXCURSIONS OBJECTS

Abstract

In recent years, ecological tourism has become an increasingly popular tourism and recreation form in the world. There are lots of definitions of eco-tourism. Many scientific dissertations have been defended on this topical theme. Without going into particular terminology, we are closest to a simple and understandable ecotourism definition adopted by the World Tourism Organization: « Ecotourism includes all nature tourism forms, in which the main motivation for tourists is observation and introduction to nature». In addition to the cognitive and aesthetic effect, ecological tourism is a publicly available active recreation form.Adventure tourism (tracking, horseback riding, camel tours, cycling tours, etc.) is often referred to as ecological tourism. However, ecotourism, although it has an adventure element, does not always imply pure adventure. Therefore, we single out "adventure tourism" in a separate category as more active and associated with overcoming various natural obstacles and even with a certain amount of extreme.Ecotourists in Uzbekistan are attracted by special nature sights: unique landscapes, geomorphological, hydrological and other objects (mountains and canyons, caves, lakes and rivers), exotic biocenoses (juniper or tugai forests, blooming spring desert, Ustyurt plateau, etc.), and flora and fauna endemics. During ecotours in Uzbekistan, tourists also get acquainted with the culture, history, ethnographic features of the regions that are inseparable from the natural environment.The nature of Uzbekistan is unusually diverse and is represented by the mountain systems of the Tien Shan and Gissar-Alai, steppes, the Kyzyl Kum desert, tugai and juniper forests.In Uzbekistan, there are 8 reserves, 2 national natural parks, the Nijne-Amu Darya state biological reserve, 9 state orders. The total protected natural areas are 20,520 km² (5% of the entire territory of Uzbekistan).