Sophie Ibbotson is the Tourism Ambassador of Uzbekistan in the UK. She shared her experience of living in Central Asia and told what attracted her to the region.
Sophie Ibbotson, 37,@uzb_travel tourism ambassador in the UK, author of Bradt guides to Uzbekistan, @uzambassador
About Me
I grew up in the UK. As a student, she lived abroad, most of the time in India. After graduation, she worked in many countries, including Central Asia.
About moving and first impressions
I first came to Uzbekistan in 2010. My friends and I were driving from the UK to Afghanistan. We crossed the territory of Russia, Kazakhstan and the border from Shymkent to Tashkent.
The first thing I did in Tashkent was to go to the Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre. After Tashkent, she went to Samarkand, where she spent several days. Visited Bibi Khanum Mosque, Registan and Siab Bazaar. My first visit to Uzbekistan lasted five or six days and aroused in me an interest in the country and people. I wanted to know more about this region.
Before moving to Uzbekistan, I worked and lived in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Spent a lot of time in Bishkek and Almaty. Immediately noticed the mountainous terrain and the greenery around. And in Uzbekistan, landscapes are completely different. There are also many historical sights here.
About Uzbekistan
The first thing that surprised me in Uzbekistan was how well the history is preserved here. I was also struck by how modern and developed Tashkent was 13 years ago.
I am fascinated by traditions in Uzbekistan. In particular, music, dancing, especially the game of buzkashi. I admire how, despite the influence of other countries, the local identity is preserved. You can come to Uzbekistan as a British, Russian or Indian and still find something familiar.
I like Uzbek cuisine. I even tried to cook pilaf and samsa. But in fact, my favorite dish is shivit oshi, green noodles seasoned with herbs, which are prepared in Khiva. I also know that there are different variations of pilaf cooking not only in Uzbekistan, but also in neighboring countries.
People in Uzbekistan are friendly, keep the ancient traditions of hospitality. You can always talk with Uzbeks and exchange different information.
The youth in Uzbekistan are well educated. It has a well developed school system. There are many methods of language teaching. Thus, people learn Uzbek, Russian, as well as English and other languages. Young people have many opportunities.
About activities
In Kyrgyzstan, I worked at the state tourism agency. But I was also interested in promoting investment in the country. I also worked for the British publishing house Bradt Guides, where I updated guides for Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. And then she wrote two new books - one about Uzbekistan and one about Tajikistan.
At the moment I have several roles. In 2019, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the UK asked me, on behalf of the Ministry, to become an ambassador for tourism. This is an exciting job, because I have the opportunity to promote Uzbekistan abroad, attend many international tourism events. In Tajikistan, I am working on The Rural Economy Development Project, which deals with the development of tourism and agribusiness in two regions of the country.
I also do journalism, write about travel. Another of my roles is chair of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs in the UK.
About plans
My top priority for 2023 is to bring as many international travel journalists to Uzbekistan as possible. We want to spread information about Uzbekistan, local people and tourism products. Together with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, I organize six press tours for the media from May to June. Six more are planned for the fall. Thus, I hope to attract 150 journalists and photographers who work in the field of tourism.
