As Uzbekistan is seeing a sharp increase in the number of international visitors and continues to expand its air links, it is transitioning from increasing the number of tourists to improving the quality of their stay by promoting longer trips and higher expenditure.
Official figures show that foreign tourist trips increased from 6.63 million in 2023 to 7.96 million in 2024. Initial 2025 data shows arrivals rose by 46.8% to 11.68 million compared with 2024.
Tourism revenues have also increased due to an increase in visitors. The parameters of the Uzbekistan’s tourism sector presented to the Presidency indicate that export of tourism services grew from $2.14 billion in 2023 to $3.52 billion in 2024 and $4.8 billion in 2025.
The next step of development will be to tap into new markets in the long haul and to get more money to spend on the island, officials say.
The Uzbekistan Tourism Committee Chairman Abdulaziz Akkulov said that attracting more long-haul visitors from Europe, Asia and Americas was the key goal in the committee’s strategy, besides creating joint regional tourism packages with the neighbouring countries.
The government isn’t just looking to boost numbers of visitors, but also those who spend more on the economy, he said.
The Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva have always been the landmarks of Uzbekistan. Now, tourism authorities hope to encourage tourists to travel beyond the country’s most famous heritage sites to discover other areas, with the aim of longer stays.
In this regard, in June, the government offered new incentives, such as for tour operators and airlines to promote international visitors to the sector. During the summer season, the value-added tax refund for hotels and tourism companies is also 50%.
Another important aspect of the country’s tourism is to improve air connectivity.
The Uzbekistan Airways has grown from 26 aircraft five years ago to 45 today, operating on domestic and international markets.
The airline also has an agreement to buy 14 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with an option for eight more, said Shukhrat Yadgarov, deputy chairman of the airline for commerce and tourism. The airline has planned to start deliveries in 2031 as part of its long-term expansion plan.
Officials say greater direct connections with foreign countries will help to make Uzbekistan more accessible for visitors from Europe, Asia, North America and the Middle East, as well as facilitate multi-country travel over Central Asia.
Authorities are also investing in domestic transport infrastructure, to ease the movement of tourists in the country. High-speed rail services to be expanded, new airports and better transportation connections to areas outside the capital are planned.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan Airways will strive to make Tashkent a principal hub for transporting passengers between Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America. It is believed that with the development of aviation connections, not only tourism, but also business trips and foreign investments will grow, which will strengthen Uzbekistan’s role as a regional hub.
