Tourism is the future of New Uzbekistan's economy

The Republic of Uzbekistan, with its rich and diverse cultural and natural heritage, has every opportunity to become one of the key players in the global tourism market. In recent years, the Government of Uzbekistan has been taking bold efforts on the development of the tourism industry, recognizing its essential role in the national economy.

Since 2017, Uzbekistan has adopted more than 30 Presidential and Government resolutions and acts aimed at supporting different aspects of tourism. These documents address a wide range of issues, from improving infrastructure and creating tourism clusters to liberalizing visa policy and attracting foreign investment in the industry.

The Strategy «Uzbekistan – 2030» also calls for the implementation of a number of key tasks intended for creating broad conditions to develop tourism sector, in particular to expand tourism flow from other countries.

One of the main goals is to increase the number of foreign tourists who are willing to stay longer and spend more during their trip. For this purpose, some important tasks have been set to improve infrastructure, in particular by attracting foreign business circles, simplify visa procedures, improve service quality, diversify tourist products and create desirable tourism destinations.

First of all, modern accommodation facilities are being created. There are currently more than 5,250 accommodation facilities in Uzbekistan with around 155 thousand beds in total. Boutique hotels, hostels, and family guest houses are also being launched all over the country – their accommodation capacity has reached up to 3,200.

The Government has identified 135 mahallas (local communities) in 28 districts and cities with high tourist potential in order to develop service sector by applying specific approach to each region based on their peculiarities, provide business entities with financial resources and infrastructure, as well as introduce favorable tax regime for them.

New types of services are being offered to move towards all-seasons tourism, including winter and adventure tourism. Today, two tourism-recreational zones are created («Charvak» and «Zomin»), with three more under construction («Shahrisabz», «Maydanak», and «Okhalik-Okbuyro-Mironkul»). For the integrated development of territories with high tourist potential we are working to improve their infrastructure based on master planning.

An important component of the efforts for creating new infrastructure is to ensure the attractiveness of investment climate in the country. Significant tax benefits are offered to companies that attract foreign direct investment, including for the projects in tourism industry. For instance, companies are exempt from many taxes for 3 years if they invest ranging from $300,000 to $3 million; for 5 years – from $3 million to $10 million; and for 7 years – over $10 million.

In addition, numerous benefits and preferences have also been introduced to provide state support for building accommodation facilities and improving service quality. Until January 1, 2026, part of the investors’ expenses for constructing and equipping new hotels is reimbursed from the state budget, amounting up to $3,800 per room for three-star hotels, and $6,200 per room for four and five-star hotels. The Government also partially finances costs for royalties of well-known and prestigious hotel brands represented in the TOP-50 hotel brands and TOP-5 hotel chains.

For the successful development of tourism, there is a need for intensified preparation of qualified specialists. The Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage and its 10 professional technical schools cooperate with educational institutions abroad and international organizations in capacity building of personnel in tourism applying advanced international experience in these processes. Currently, bilateral collaboration has been established with over 80 foreign educational institutions from the Republic of Korea, Japan, China, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, Switzerland, France, Great Britain, USA, Bulgaria, Italy, Germany, etc.

The network of air-connections is rapidly expanding, in particular, through increasing the participation of budget airlines (low-cost carriers) for foreign tourists both within the country and abroad. Currently, the number of flights to Uzbekistan from various countries has been increased to about 1,100 annually, involving over 40 national and foreign air-carriers. These figures significantly exceed those of previous years.

The project to extend the «Afrosiyob» high-speed train to new destinations is an important element in our efforts to improve transport accessibility for tourists. During the last years the route has been prolonged to Bukhara and Shahrisabz. With an investment of $450 million, it is planned to extend the route to Khiva. The projects to be also implemented for construction and modernization of at least 1,000 km of modern toll highways, including the construction of the Tashkent-Samarkand and Tashkent-Andijan roads.

Foreign consulting companies are engaged in the modernization of tourism industry, in particular in introducing international management and service standards, elaborating tourism development strategies, and increasing the country’s recognition as favorable tourist destination. Cooperation with such companies like McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, PWC, JLL, KPMG, Euromonitor, etc., helps Uzbekistan to adopt the best international practices in the sector.

The measures taken are stated to give significant results, which is reflected in the steady growth in the number of foreign travelers to our country. In 2022, the number of foreign tourists was 5.2 million, and in 2023, this figure reached 6.7 million. In 8 months of 2024, 5.04 million tourists visited Uzbekistan - 17% growth to compare to the same period of last year. The average length of stay has also increased to 7-8 days - 2 times if compared to the previous periods (3-4 days).

The creation of unique tourism products allows attracting different types of tourist groups. In the near future, ecotourism and agricultural tourism are emerging as key tourism areas for Uzbekistan. The country possesses significant natural resources, from the majestic Tien Shan mountains to deserts and green oases. Ecotourism and agricultural are becoming more and more popular, especially among those who are looking for exclusive opportunities for nature-based tourism.

There is a huge potential in the field of medical tourism with spa treatments, therapeutic resorts and sanatoriums, especially in regions such as Tashkent, Charvak and the Ferghana Valley. Here, tourists can enjoy the wellness procedures, the treatment of various diseases to improve their health in unique natural conditions.

Gastronomic tourism is also advancing, it could include not only tasting local cuisine but also organizing cultural events and festivals dedicated to national cuisine, which will help strengthen interest in Uzbekistan as a country with vibrant traditions and amazing culinary recipes.

Tashkent, Samarkand and other major cities are becoming venues for business (MICE) tourism, especially for international business forums, exhibitions and conferences. It is expected that the rise of business trips to country will contribute to improving hotel infrastructures and modern business services.

The country has over 1,200 religious shrines which creates incredible opportunities for the promotion of pilgrimage tourism. Uzbekistan can rightfully be called a crossroads of religions, with architectural structures reflecting Buddhist, Christian, and Muslim influences. This adds another potential million tourists annually.

Tourism industry represents a significant potential for sustainable economic growth in Uzbekistan. Last year, this sector generated about $2 billion revenues in total, while in 2024 this mark has already been overcome by August (within 8 months). With the right concept and support from the Government and the international community, the country has all the prerequisites to become one of the leading tourist destinations on a global level. The «Best Tourism Destination 2024» award by Lonely Planet and «The Most Desirable Emerging Destination for 2024» award by prestigious Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards confirms that Uzbekistan has taken the correct tourism development strategy.

Umid Shadiev,

Chairman of the Tourism Committee under the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan