On June 18, 2025, Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT) hosted a research colloquium featuring Vafokulova Mekhruza, PhD candidate in Management, who presented her study titled "Transforming Local Economies through Family-Run Tourism Enterprises: A Socio-Economic Management Perspective in Uzbekistan."
The research examined the socio-economic role of family-run tourism businesses in Uzbekistan, focusing on their impact on employment generation, income creation, and regional development. Despite their growing importance in the national tourism economy, empirical evidence on their management practices and economic influence remains limited.
The presentation offered valuable insights into the potential of family enterprises to contribute to inclusive economic growth and sparked an engaging discussion among attendees on the future of community-based tourism in Uzbekistan. Valuable recommendations were suggested to PhD candidate in order to improve the quality of the dissertation.
