Key facts
- Uzbekistan saw inbound tourist trips increase from 6.63 million in 2023 to 7.96 million in 2024, with projections for 11.68 million in 2025.
- Tourism services exports grew from $2.14 billion in 2023 to $3.52 billion in 2024, reaching $4.8 billion in 2025.
- The country's strategy focuses on attracting long-haul travelers and increasing visitor spending.
- Uzbekistan Airways is expanding its fleet and route network, with a new order for 14 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
- Government incentives include subsidies for tour operators and airlines, and VAT refunds for tourism companies.
Uzbekistan is implementing a strategy to extend the duration of tourist stays and increase overall tourism revenue, moving beyond simply boosting arrival numbers. The country has seen significant growth in inbound tourism, with foreign citizen trips rising from 6.63 million in 2023 to a projected 11.68 million in 2025. Correspondingly, tourism services exports have climbed from $2.14 billion in 2023 to an estimated $4.8 billion in 2025.
Abdulaziz Akkulov, chairman of Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee, stated that a key priority is attracting long-haul travelers from Europe, Asia, and the Americas, alongside developing joint regional tourism packages with neighboring countries. The focus is shifting towards attracting higher-value visitors who contribute more significantly to the economy through their spending, encouraging them to explore beyond the well-known Silk Road destinations like Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva.
To support this strategy, the government is providing financial incentives, including subsidies for tour operators and airlines, and a 50% VAT refund for tourism companies and hotels during the summer season. Enhancing international air access is central to attracting long-haul travelers. Uzbekistan Airways has expanded its fleet to 45 aircraft and has placed a firm order for 14 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with deliveries starting in 2031, to bolster its international route network.
The country also aims to make Tashkent a strategic transit hub between Europe and Asia, and between America and Asia, to capture transit passenger revenue. Domestically, efforts are underway to improve transport infrastructure, including high-speed rail corridors and new airports, to facilitate easier travel within Uzbekistan and encourage longer itineraries that include a wider range of destinations.