Uzbekistan is turning tourism into a broader engine for infrastructure development, international connectivity and urban investment. Foreign arrivals rose from 6.6 million in 2023 to more than 10 million in 2024 and 11.7 million in 2025. In January–August 2026, the country welcomed 9.1 million foreign citizens, up 21.1% year on year, while tourism services exports reached $4.6 billion, an increase of 53.5%.
Tourism moves into a new development phase
The current expansion builds on the tourism development concept approved in 2019 for the 2019–2025 period. Its priorities included making tourism a strategic economic sector, diversifying the tourism offering, upgrading infrastructure and increasing the industry’s contribution to the national economy. Visa liberalization and the expansion of electronic visa services continued in parallel.
A new long-term framework was established in November 2025 with the creation of the Tourism Committee and targets for 2030. Uzbekistan plans to raise tourism’s share of GDP to 7%, attract 20 million foreign tourists and increase tourism services exports to more than $6 billion.
Hotels and air links expand
The first results of the new phase are already visible in accommodation infrastructure. Between January and July 2026, Uzbekistan added 705 accommodation facilities with 22,296 beds. The national total reached 7,440 facilities and 202,600 beds, while the number of hotels operated by international brands increased to 51.
For a landlocked country, air connectivity remains a decisive factor in tourism growth. Uzbekistan’s airports handled 8.15 million passengers in January–June 2026, 16% more than in the same period of 2025. A total of 64,831 flights were operated, including 47,371 international services.
Foreign airlines are also broadening their presence. In 2026, China Eastern launched flights from Shanghai, Asiana Airlines connected Tashkent with Seoul and Shirak Avia opened a route from Yerevan. Royal Jordanian began regular Amman–Tashkent services in July, followed by Etihad Airways’ first direct flight from Abu Dhabi in August. Shorter and more convenient journeys give tour operators greater scope to assemble multi-city programmes and develop new routes into Uzbekistan.
New Tashkent targets hub status
The expansion of air services is being matched by major infrastructure projects. The New Tashkent international airport, planned in the capital region, is designed for phased development. Once the first stage is completed, it is expected to handle up to 20 million passengers and 300,000 tonnes of cargo annually. The project includes two 4-kilometre runways, a 208,000-square-metre passenger terminal and 98 aircraft stands.
The airport is intended to strengthen Uzbekistan’s position as an aviation hub linking East and West, as well as North and South. Beyond tourism, the project is expected to support investment, industrial activity and the resilience of the country’s transport system.
The wider New Tashkent development is planned across approximately 20,000 hectares and could eventually accommodate 2 million residents. Residential, social, business, educational and cultural facilities are being developed across 6,000 hectares, alongside hotels, public spaces, retail and service infrastructure.
One of the project’s key tourism components is the Great Silk Road complex. Covering 32 hectares, it is planned as a cultural and public destination with hotels, commercial and educational facilities. Themed districts will draw on the civilizations connected by the historic Silk Road, translating the ancient trade route into a contemporary urban environment.
Cultural destinations diversify the market
Uzbekistan is also broadening the definition of cultural tourism. The Islamic Civilization Center opened in Tashkent in March 2026 and had attracted about 500,000 citizens and tourists by 1 June, with average daily attendance of approximately 6,000 visitors. The center combines cultural, educational and research functions and presents historical documents, manuscripts, artworks and other materials highlighting Central Asia’s contribution to world civilization.
Contemporary culture is gaining new infrastructure as well. On 6 September 2026, Tashkent opened its first state institution dedicated to contemporary art. The regional-scale center will host exhibitions, lectures, public discussions, film screenings, concerts and performances, as well as creative workshops and art residencies. It is also designed to support young artists, curators and researchers, encourage professional exchange and promote Uzbek authors internationally.
Faster rail journeys connect the historic cities
Reducing travel times is another priority for a country with a large territory. In 2026, the new seven-car Hyundai Rotem Jaloliddin Manguberdi high-speed train began operating on the Tashkent–Khiva route. The train carries about 390 passengers and can reach speeds of up to 250 kilometres per hour. The journey between the two cities has been cut from approximately 14 hours to 7 hours and 40 minutes.
The shorter journey makes it easier to combine Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva in a single itinerary, reducing the share of holiday time spent in transit. In Khorezm Region, an 11-kilometre railway connecting Urgench International Airport with the existing rail network was completed in August 2026. The link is expected to reduce travel time between Urgench and Khiva from about 80 minutes to 40 minutes and serve roughly 650,000 domestic and foreign tourists annually.
Pilgrimage tourism gains dedicated infrastructure
Pilgrimage tourism is another area where Uzbekistan is combining heritage with purpose-built facilities. The country’s spiritual legacy is associated with prominent Islamic scholars including Imam Bukhari, Imam Maturidi and Bahauddin Naqshband. The development of this segment requires not only the restoration of sacred sites but also infrastructure capable of receiving large international groups.
The renovated Imam Bukhari complex in Samarkand Region illustrates this approach. The 45-hectare religious and cultural center includes a mosque for 10,000 people, an innovative museum, the Imam Bukhari International Research Center and a Hadith research school. On an adjacent 15-hectare site, the project added one four-star hotel, two three-star hotels, 22 family guesthouses with 176 beds, service facilities and parking.
The complex can now accommodate around 65,000 pilgrims a day, compared with approximately 12,000 before reconstruction. More than 1 million domestic and foreign visitors arrived during the first month after its reopening. The investment shifts the site from a short stop on a religious itinerary toward a full destination where visitors can stay longer.
For international companies in hospitality, furniture, construction, interiors, architecture, transport and tourism services, Uzbekistan’s development programme points to a widening pipeline of opportunities. New hotels, airports, railway facilities, cultural venues, public spaces and mixed-use districts will require design, construction, furnishing, operating and technology partners. The scale of the projects also creates entry points for foreign brands, although their commercial potential will depend on the pace of construction, visitor demand and the country’s ability to maintain reliable international and domestic connectivity.
