INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND PRACTICAL CONFERENCE
Prospects for Cultural Heritage and Tourism
Artificial Intelligence · Creative Cities · Sustainable Development
Research, cultural heritage and emerging technologies in dialogue — connecting knowledge with sustainable tourism and the future of historic cities.
23 November 2026
Samarkand · Scientific conference
24–27 November 2026
Samarkand → Tashkent · Associated programme
11 November 2026
Deadline for articles and abstracts
About the conference
How can artificial intelligence support heritage conservation and interpretation? How can historic cities embrace innovation while safeguarding their identity? What role can cultural tourism play in more sustainable urban and regional development?
The international scientific and practical conference “Prospects for Cultural Heritage and Tourism: Artificial Intelligence, Creative Cities and Sustainable Development” brings together researchers, heritage professionals, museum specialists, architects, urbanists, technology experts and tourism practitioners to discuss these interconnected challenges.
The scientific conference takes place on 23 November 2026 in Samarkand. An associated programme follows on 24–27 November in Samarkand and Tashkent, including a cultural study visit, tourism investment discussions and events linked to the Tashkent International Tourism Fair.
The conference is organised jointly by the “Silk Road” International Research Institute, the “Silk Road” International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, the Samarkand Campus of the International Tourism Academy and the UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Heritage Tourism along the Silk Roads. More than 100 leading scholars and specialists from 36 countries are expected to take part, including Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Pakistan, Russia, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Italy, Bangladesh, India, France, Portugal and Romania.
Areas of dialogue
- Research and practice in AI-assisted documentation, conservation and interpretation of heritage
- Digital museums, immersive experiences and new forms of audience engagement
- The Great Silk Road as a framework for cultural exchange and responsible tourism
- Creative, smart and historic cities in sustainable urban development
- International cooperation and evidence-informed approaches to tourism development
Scientific sections · 23 November
Artificial Intelligence in the Preservation and Interpretation of Cultural Heritage
Digital documentation, AI-based analysis, immersive technologies and innovative methods of presenting cultural assets.
Promoting the Cultural Heritage of the Great Silk Road for Tourism Development
Cultural routes, heritage interpretation, destination promotion and cross-border cooperation.
Culture-Led Sustainable Tourism: Innovations, Practices and International Experience
Sustainable destination management, culture-centred development and transferable international practices.
Creative, Smart and Historic Cities: Culture and Heritage in Sustainable Urban Development
Heritage-sensitive urban innovation, creative industries, smart solutions and historic urban environments.
Silk Road Heritage: Cultural Transfers, Preservation Practices and Integration into Tourism
Cross-cultural connections, conservation experience and responsible integration of heritage into tourism.
Call for papers
Scientists, researchers and students may submit articles and abstracts based on their research, in Uzbek, Russian or English, on the topics of the sections above. The conference committee reviews submissions that match the topics and follow the formatting requirements.
- Deadline for articles and abstracts: 11 November 2026.
- Send your article via Telegram to @shirin_yakubovna or by e-mail to academysamarkand@gmail.com, and fill in the registration form.
- Peer-reviewed materials will be published electronically in the conference proceedings, indexed in Google Scholar, Crossref, Semantic Scholar, Dimensions and Lens, and assigned a DOI.
- With the authors’ consent, selected articles will be recommended for the new international peer-reviewed journal “Silk Road Heritage Studies”, founded by the “Silk Road” International Research Institute.
- Each author may take part with both an individual and a co-authored article.
Keynote presentations
The following speakers and topics appear in the working programme. Participation, affiliations and presentation titles remain subject to confirmation by the organising team.
Clement Onn
Director, Asian Civilisations Museum (Singapore)
“Prospects for Artificial Intelligence and Immersive Technologies in Contemporary Museums”
Yannick Lintz
President, Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet (France)
“Prospects for Digital and Metaverse Technologies in Museums”
Shaika Al-Nassr
Director, Museum of Islamic Art (Qatar)
“Virtual and Augmented Reality Applications in Islamic Art and Architecture”
Ai Lin
Director, Deji Art Museum (China)
“Gamification Technologies for the Development of Cultural Heritage Tourism”
Mohamed Zoghlami
Director of Strategy and Development, DigiArt Living Lab and 3D NetInfo (Tunisia)
“Super-Perception and the Metaverse”
Bobur Raximov
Founder, NazzAR (Uzbekistan)
“AI Assistants in Tourism and Travel: Revolution or Evolution?”
Programme at a glance
The academic conference and the associated programme are presented separately so participants can distinguish the scientific sessions from the wider tourism events.
- 23 NOV
Monday · Samarkand
International scientific and practical conference
- 08:30–09:50 Registration and research project exhibition
- 10:00–10:40 Opening ceremony
- 11:05–12:55 Plenary keynote presentations
- 14:00–17:30 Five parallel scientific sections
- 17:45–18:15 Closing session and discussion of recommendations
- 24 NOV
Tuesday · Samarkand → Tashkent
Scientific and cultural visit
“Samarkand — Crossroads of Cultures”: visits to Gur-e-Amir, Registan, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Siyob Bazaar and Shah-i-Zinda; onward journey to Tashkent.
- 25 NOV
Wednesday · Tashkent
Tourism investment forum and Observatory launch
First International Tourism Investment Forum and parallel thematic discussions. 16:10–17:00: opening of the Samarkand Tourism Observatory and presentation of its digital monitoring platform.
- 26 NOV
Thursday · Tashkent
31st Tashkent International Tourism Fair
TITF-2026 “Tourism on the Silk Road”: sectoral forums, international dialogue and B2B activities.
- 27 NOV
Friday · Tashkent
TITF-2026 · Final day
Tourism Hackathon, thematic sessions, Silk Road Tourism Awards and the official closing of the fair at 16:00.
Venue and locations
23 November · Scientific conference
“Silk Road” International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, 17 University Boulevard, Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
24–27 November · Associated programme
Cultural programme in Samarkand on 24 November, followed by tourism-related events in Tashkent on 25–27 November. Specific venues and logistical details are provided in the event programme.
Requirements for articles
Technical requirements for articles submitted for publication in the “Silk Road Heritage Studies” scientific journal.
- 1Articles address relevant topics within the journal’s scope and rest on scientific analysis, well-developed arguments and practical recommendations.
- 2Length: no more than 5 pages.
- 3MS Word, Times New Roman, 12 pt, line spacing 1.5, 2 cm margins on all sides, 1 cm first-line indent.
- 4Figures and tables are numbered with Arabic numerals (Figure 1, Table 1) and referred to in the text; text inside tables is 12 pt; references to the literature are given in the text.
- 5The title and the authors’ full names are centred in capital letters, 12 pt; academic degree, title, workplace, position, telephone and e-mail are in lowercase.
- 6Articles follow the IMRAD structure: Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion.
- 7Each published article receives a DOI and is placed in Index Copernicus, Zenodo, OpenAIRE, CyberLeninka and Europub, on www.jmmf.uz, and indexed in Google Scholar.
- 8Articles that do not meet the formatting, structure and scientific content requirements are rejected at the preliminary screening stage.
Information for participants
Researchers, doctoral candidates, university faculty, museum and heritage professionals, architects, urban planners, tourism stakeholders and technology specialists are welcome to take part. Please consult the updated official programme before making travel arrangements.
The registration form asks for your full name (academic degree, title, position), the full and short name of your organisation, the conference section, the article title, the form of participation (in person or remote), a telephone number and an e-mail address.
Frequently asked questions
When does the scientific conference take place?
On Monday, 23 November 2026, in Samarkand. The activities scheduled for 24–27 November form the associated programme.
Are presentation sessions available in different languages?
The working programme provides for simultaneous interpretation between English and Uzbek/Russian during the plenary session. Language arrangements for parallel sections will be confirmed separately.
Will participants receive certificates?
The programme includes a certificate presentation during the concluding session in Samarkand on 23 November.
Is online participation available?
The application form lets you choose in-person or remote participation. Online access details will be shared by the organisers.
Organisational information
“Silk Road” International Research Institute together with the “Silk Road” International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, the Samarkand Campus of the International Tourism Academy and the UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Heritage Tourism along the Silk Roads. For questions about the conference and submissions, contact the organising committee.
- Telegram
- @shirin_yakubovna
- Address
- 17 University Boulevard, Samarkand, 140104
Connecting heritage, research and innovation
Join an international conversation about how cultural knowledge, technological innovation and sustainable tourism can shape the future of the Silk Road’s historic cities.
Register