LEGAL MECHANISMS OF REGULATING ECOLOGICAL TOURISM IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES AND UZBEKISTAN: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS AND WAYS OF ADAPTING INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The article is dedicated to a comparative analysis of the legal mechanisms for regulating ecotourism in foreign countries—Australia, the USA, Great Britain, Norway, and Russia—with the national legislation and practices of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The work examines key legislative acts regulating ecotourism, institutional management models in various jurisdictions, and mechanisms for environmental certification of tourism facilities and services. Special attention was paid to identifying the features of regulatory regulation, the role of government bodies in shaping sustainable tourism policies, and the degree of involvement of local communities and the private sector in the development of ecotourism. Proposals are being put forward to improve the national legal framework, including the need to introduce international environmental certification standards, expand public-private partnership mechanisms, increase the level of environmental education, and ensure effective control over compliance with environmental requirements in the tourism sector. It was concluded that the development of ecotourism requires a comprehensive intersectoral approach that combines legal, environmental, and social regulation. The adoption of a balanced model of legal regulation will allow Uzbekistan not only to strengthen the competitiveness of its tourism industry, but also to ensure the long-term protection of unique natural resources, contribute to the sustainable socio-economic development of the regions, and shape the image of the country as an environmentally responsible participant in the international tourism community.