New rules for awarding qualification categories to tour guides Uzbekistan has approved by the government’s Measures to Further Improve Excursion Services in the Republic of Uzbekistan Resolution.
Under the Resolution, starting December 1, 2026, the Scientific Research Institute for Tourism Development, operating under the Tourism Committee, will be authorized to assign qualification categories to guides and guide-interpreters who choose to apply for one.
The resolution also approves a new regulation: Procedure for Awarding Qualification Categories to Guides (Guide-Interpreters).
Under the new framework, guides may be awarded one of four qualification categories: amateur, specialized, professional, or "golden fund" guide. Obtaining a category is voluntary — guides who do not hold one of these designations retain the right to work based on the qualification certificate they already hold under existing law.
How categories are awarded
To assign a qualification category, evaluators will assess a guide's professional knowledge and practical skills, their ability to organize and conduct tours, and their depth of knowledge about the sites they cover. Guides will also be evaluated on their communication skills with tourists, their command of foreign languages, and their adherence to professional ethics.
Candidates must pass a professional examination to receive a category. Those who score between 56 and 70 percent will be designated amateur category; those scoring 70 to 85 percent will receive the specialized category; and those scoring 86 to 100 percent will be certified as professional guides.
Qualification certificates shall be issued for an unlimited period. However, guides who have not worked in the profession for the past two years will be required to retake the qualification exam.
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