THE ROLE AND IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON INCENTIVIZING UZBEKISTAN TOURISM, AND ANALYSIS

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the role and impact of social media in promoting tourism industry in Uzbekistan. The primary objective of the research is to examine the value of social media in promoting tourism. Uzbekistan is regarded as the leading tourism destination in central Asia. Leung, Law, Hoof, and Buhalis (2013) add that travelers have widely adopted social media in order to search for information, organize, share and annotate their experiences and stories through micro blogs and blogs, online communities, media sharing sites, and other tools collaboratively. Tourism marketers are also considerably using social media to engage with actual and potential tourists throughout the decision-making journey (Hudson and Thal, 2013). There is a need for ongoing efforts to promote the tourism industry for it to remain competitive and continue contributing to the welfare of the people in Uzbekistan. The study followed a quantitative research method in order to attain the set objectives of the study. Non-probability sampling technique was employed in recruiting the participants. Convenience and purposive sampling techniques were used to generate the sample population in this study. The target population for the study were all the tourists that visited Uzbekistan’s tourist destinations. The next sampling population is the tourist organizations of Uzbekistan