Indonesia and Uzbekistan are opening a new chapter in pilgrimage tourism, turning Central Asia into a more accessible and structured destination for Indonesian travellers. During a high-level meeting, the two countries agreed on a package of measures that combine air connectivity, financial incentives and infrastructure development to expand tourist flows between their markets.
Strategic air links between Indonesia and Uzbekistan
At the centre of the agenda was the expansion of tourist exchange and the launch of new direct air services, including a route between Tashkent and Jakarta. The parties also discussed direct flights connecting Tashkent with Uzbekistan’s historic cities, creating smoother itineraries for visitors who want to combine international travel with visits to key pilgrimage destinations.
To make these routes commercially viable from day one, Uzbekistan plans to use state-backed mechanisms for subsidising new air services proposed by the head of state. One of the most specific incentives is a subsidy of 100 US dollars for every tourist from Indonesia brought in by local tour operators. This targeted support is designed to de-risk market entry for regional tourism businesses, accelerate route development and quickly build up passenger numbers on the new corridor.
Pilgrimage tourism as a growth engine
Every year more than 2 million Indonesian citizens travel abroad to perform hajj and umrah, forming one of the largest organised pilgrimage markets in the world. Uzbekistan sees this flow as a strategic opportunity. The country counts more than 1,200 pilgrimage sites, including the heritage of Imam Bukhari, Imam Maturidi, Imam Termizi and Bahauddin Naqshband, which together create a rich spiritual tourism offering for Indonesian visitors.
As part of the visit of Indonesia’s minister for hajj and umrah affairs, a dedicated trip was organised to Samarkand and Bukhara, showcasing their main pilgrimage locations. The two sides reached agreements to promote Samarkand and Bukhara on the Indonesian market as key destinations for pilgrimage tourism, to design special travel routes and to hold B2B meetings with operators specialised in hajj and umrah services.
The Umra plus program is becoming another tool in this strategy, allowing Uzbekistan to position itself as an extended stop for pilgrims who want to enrich their journey with visits to historic shrines and educational centres in Central Asia. For tour operators, this creates scope to bundle multi-country packages and offer differentiated products beyond traditional pilgrimage routes.
Hotel investment at the Imam Bukhari complex
A tangible result of the growing cooperation is the launch of the five star Hadith Hotel within the Imam Bukhari complex, with the participation of Indonesian investors. This project directly strengthens the hospitality infrastructure at one of Uzbekistan’s most important pilgrimage sites and signals that Indonesia is ready to move from tourism promotion to long term capital involvement.
The hotel adds high quality room stock, conference and service facilities to a religious and cultural hub that is likely to see rising visitor numbers under the new air routes and subsidy programs. For the surrounding area, this means additional construction activity, demand for modern materials and technologies, and higher expectations for design and service standards in future projects.
Implications for international furniture and construction companies
For international players in furniture, construction, interiors, home appliances and architectural design, these developments mark Uzbekistan’s shift into a more structured and incentive backed tourism market with reliable demand from Indonesia. New and upgraded hotels, pilgrimage centres, airports and transport hubs will require modern fit out solutions, public space design, hospitality furniture, lighting, flooring and facade materials.
Companies that enter early can partner with local tour operators and investors behind projects like Hadith Hotel, help shape the visual identity of emerging pilgrimage destinations such as Samarkand and Bukhara, and position themselves as go to suppliers for future hospitality and infrastructure ventures triggered by the Umra plus program and the Tashkent — Jakarta corridor.
