BALANCING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN TOURISM

Abstract

This article analyses the complex equilibrium between economic growth and environmental
protection in the contemporary tourism sector, drawing on statistical data for 2023–2025. The paper examines,
in a comparative framework, the global efforts to reduce the ecological footprint of the tourism industry alongside
the specific case of Uzbekistan. Theoretical dimensions covered include ecotourism, sustainable tourism, and
green-economy concepts, while recent data published by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the
United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and leading peer-reviewed journals are systematically
reviewed. The Uzbekistan case reveals that the number of international tourist arrivals grew from 6.6 million
in 2023 to 11.7 million in 2025—an increase of approximately 77 per cent in two years—and assesses the
corresponding rise in environmental load. Legislative instruments adopted during this period, including
Presidential Decree PD-217 (November 2025) establishing a unified ecology-and-tourism governance body,
and the installation of electric-vehicle charging stations along the Tourism Highway, are evaluated as practical
policy responses. The article proposes ecotourism, carrying-capacity management, green certification and
digital tourism models as complementary mechanisms for resolving the apparent paradox between growth and
ecological sustainability.