DETERMINANTS OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM ADOPTION IN UZBEKISTAN:EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM ECO- AND AGRO-TOURISM SECTORS

Najmiddinov Azizbek

Authors

Najmiddinov Azizbek ¹University of Business and Science, Faculty of Economics, Department of Management, Namangan, Uzbekistan

Keywords:

sustainable tourism; eco-tourism; agro-tourism; Uzbekistan; Central Asia; PLS-SEM; Theory of Planned Behavior; green economy; rural development.

Abstract

Purpose: This study empirically investigates the key determinants influencing the adoption and development of sustainable tourism services — specifically eco-tourism and agro-tourism — in Uzbekistan. Methodology: A conceptual model grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). A structured questionnaire survey was conducted with 347 respondents drawn from Samarkand, Bukhara, and Fergana regions. Findings: Government policy support (β=0.41), environmental awareness (β=0.33), and local community participation (β=0.22) were identified as the strongest predictors of sustainable tourism adoption intention. The model explained 58% of the variance. Contribution: This research addresses the scarcity of empirical data on sustainable tourism in Central Asia and demonstrates the necessity of adapting TPB to the economic context of Uzbekistan.1

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