NHK World 2020.03.20 10:30 – 11:00 / 16:30 – 17:00 / 19:30 – 20:00 / 28:30 – 29:00 (JST)
The city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, has over 2,500 years of history.
Today, Samarkand is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its status
as a “cultural crossroads.” Beginning in 2018, a national tourism policy
brought about a sharp rise in foreign visitors, sparking widespread
development and infrastructural changes. Locals are hopeful about the
economic potential of increased tourism, but worried about the rapid
transformation of their city, while UNESCO has asked the government to
reconsider its plans. Explore the challenges Samarkand faces as it
navigates a tourism boom.