(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 22. Mastercard has a
goal to help Uzbekistan accelerate the development of its tourism
sector, Denis Filippov, Mastercard's Country Manager in Uzbekistan
and Belarus told Trend in an exclusive
interview.
Filippov highlighted the development of Mastercard card
acceptance throughout Uzbekistan, ensuring the acceptance of
contactless payments in transportation, support for small
businesses working in tourism, and the development of payments via
other form factors such as smartphones and smartwatches as among
the company's important initiatives in Uzbekistan.
E-commerce initiative in Uzbekistan
Citing Filippov, Mastercard intends to open an e-commerce school
in Uzbekistan in collaboration with the Ministry of Investment,
Industry, and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, emphasizing that
the training will be available to both managers and staff in the
tourism industry, including those from small businesses.
"We can see how vigorously the Uzbek tourism business has
evolved in recent years. 4.3 million tourists from various
countries visited the country from January to August of this year,
adding an additional $1.4 billion to the Uzbek economy. Foreign
tourists have increased three to fourfold. According to Mastercard
research, customers traveling to other countries want to know that
their credit card will be accepted everywhere," Filippov said.
Therefore, the company representative stressed that Mastercard
strives to ensure universal acceptance of its cards and that they
are already accepted in Uzbekistan almost everywhere, including
cities of attraction for tourism like Tashkent, Samarkand, and
Bukhara.
"Our Mastercard Tourism Insights platform will also help the
country's international tourism development. It is based on an
investigation of how our clients use maps in other countries, and
it allows us to predict tourist behavior and consumer preferences,
allowing us to better organize tourist flows," he said.
Development of payment systems
Filippov further stated that Mastercard aims to accelerate the
development of tourism in Uzbekistan through the development of
payment infrastructure for tourists and small businesses in the
country.
"The establishment of financial accessibility and the provision
of premium payment services will establish the conditions conducive
to a rise in international tourist arrivals in Uzbekistan.
Mastercard's commitment to enabling tourists to transact globally
in a manner consistent with their domestic practices will
contribute significantly to this objective,” he said.
The country manager noted that the increase in tourist flow to
Uzbekistan will have a positive impact on society, as the sector
has gotten through difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic and
the incomes of people employed in this field fell
significantly.
“Digital transformation will accelerate the economic recovery of
the industry, and facilitating access to innovation for small and
medium-sized businesses will be the key to its rapid development.
Due to the global nature of the business, Mastercard has the
opportunity to promote Uzbekistan through its programs for
cardholders around the world. In different countries, travelers
with Mastercard cards receive exclusive benefits that are aimed at
making tourist destinations more attractive,” he explained.
The company representative stressed that, in this regard,
Mastercard is currently working on a program of special offers for
tourists visiting the Uzbek city of Samarkand.
Deepening of partnership
Filippov also stressed that Mastercard aims to continue
deepening its partnership with Uzbekistan in a variety of
areas.
“We collaborate closely with Uzbekistan's Central Bank, and we
have several cooperative projects targeted at improving the
country's payment sector. Many of them are concerned with
cybersecurity, fraud risks, compliance management, and fraud
protection,” he said.
The country manager noted that the company also continues to
work with individuals, offering Mastercard cardholders unique
opportunities and favorable offers.
“Another promising area is the provision of payment solutions
for retail, including marketplaces. The use of ready-made platforms
and developments will allow Uzbek companies to reduce investments
in innovation. This is especially important for small and
medium-sized businesses that do not have enough available funds to
invest.
The third area of Mastercard's activity in the Republic is the
introduction of analytical platforms that allow companies to
evaluate the effectiveness of operational activities and
promotional activities, as well as the development of consulting
support. We have already launched a number of data and services
consulting projects in Uzbekistan,” Filippov said.
The regional manager added that the joint efforts of Mastercard
and the government of Uzbekistan will contribute to strengthening
economic stability in the region, as the improvement of payment
technologies will increase the convenience of everyday payment
transactions for the population as well as act as a stimulator of
economic growth.
“We are confident that Mastercard's initiatives will open up new
business opportunities in the country. We work closely with the
Central Bank of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Digital Technologies,
the Agency for Strategic Reforms under the President of Uzbekistan,
and other government organizations. And, as in any country of
presence, we aim to resolve emerging issues through an open
dialogue,” the company representative concluded.
Filippov also stated that in October 2023, Mastercard and
Uzbekistan's Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and
Climate Change signed a Memorandum announcing the start of joint
work between Uzbekistan and the Mastercard Center for Tourism
Innovation, and the first working meeting with the Ministry was
already held in November.
Aziz Abdukhakimov, Uzbekistan's Minister of Ecology,
Environmental Protection, and Climate Change, and Nikola Villa,
Mastercard's Global Head of the Public Sector and Executive Vice
President for Strategic Development, signed a Memorandum of
Understanding in the field of tourism development earlier this
year.
The signed memorandum states that Uzbekistan's Ministry of
Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change will join the
Mastercard Tourism Innovation Hub.
The Mastercard Tourism Innovation Hub will engage with
Uzbekistan's Ministry and subordinate institutions to develop
cooperative digital solutions for the government, domestic and
foreign tourists, and tourism firms.
According to the most recent available data from Uzbekistan's
Tourism Committee, 4.9 million tourists visited Uzbekistan between
January and September 2023. The number of international tourists
visiting the country in 2022 is expected to reach 5.23 million.
MENAFN22122023000187011040ID1107645615
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.