Another significant event may occur in the fields of travel, logistics, and digital services in Uzbekistan. During the visit of the Chairman of the Tourism Committee, Umid Shodiyev, to London, a meeting took place with Gert-Jan Kistemaker, the global director of partner markets at Bolt.
During this meeting, the prospects for the Bolt platform, which has successfully established itself in Europe and several countries around the world, to start operations in Uzbekistan were thoroughly discussed. The conversation covered various services, from taxi services to food delivery, freight transport, electric scooters, and other modern logistics solutions.
Both sides expressed confidence that the introduction of the Bolt platform would enhance convenience not only for the local population but also for foreign tourists visiting our country. This is because providing services quickly, safely, and at competitive prices through mobile applications plays a crucial role in modernizing tourism infrastructure.
Notably, during the negotiations, the possibility of implementing a pilot project in one of Uzbekistan's major cities — possibly Tashkent or Samarkand — was discussed. Such a program would initially be tested under local conditions, legislation, and technical infrastructure, and could later be more widely implemented in other cities.
As is known, Bolt operates in more than 45 countries worldwide and serves millions of users. This platform is aimed not only at calling taxis but also at ensuring convenient and eco-friendly mobility within cities — for example, electric scooters, bicycles, and food delivery services are among these.
During the meeting, Umid Shodiyev stated that the Uzbek government is open to attracting leading technological services to the country, digitizing tourism, and creating a favorable environment for users. According to him, the entry of international brands into the transport and logistics sector will enhance internal competition and contribute to the stabilization of service quality and prices.
The negotiations were held in a positive spirit, with both sides expressing their intention to develop cooperation. In the coming days, Bolt's official pilot project in Uzbekistan and the analysis of experiences in neighboring markets are expected to be evaluated, and practical steps will be outlined.
If the project is successful, both Uzbeks and tourists will have even greater opportunities to use modern urban transport.
