Uzbekistan has a new “Safe travel GUARANTEED” program to support tourism. They’re offering Open Skies to the world, allowing fifth freedom airline rights to any carriers that meet international safety standards, and they’re willing to pay out $3000 to any tourist who gets Covid-19 during their visit to the country.

In order to receive the $3,000, travelers must explore the country with a local tour guide.

Local tour guides, accommodations, and tourist sites will be required to receive a certification from the government that shows they are following safety and sanitary guidelines.

Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Credit: Bobyrr via Wikimedia Commons

There are a couple of strange things about this. First, they’re only welcoming “visitors from low-risk countries, like China, Israel, Japan, and South Korea” without restriction. Israel’s current outbreak level approaches that of the U.S. on a per capita basis. Meanwhile less risky Europeans “are required to quarantine for 14 days when they arrive.”

Second, usually when you offer money for something you get more of it. Aren’t they encouraging poorer young people, especially, whose Covid-19 risks are low to go out of their way to expose themselves? It’s the opposite of the Chinese approach which paid local residence compounds for zero reported cases, given them zero reported cases (whether there were potential cases or not).

It’s truly the opposite of Cambodia’s plan to require $3000 deposits from tourists, covering the cost of cremation in case they die from Covid-19 while they’re there, among other expenses.

Uzbekistan neighbors Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Tajikistan; Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. The Central Asian country, whose capital and largest city is Tashkent, had seen rapidly growing tourism prior to the pandemic.

(HT: Marginal Revolution)