Uzbekistan is turning its tourism expansion into a powerful driver for the domestic construction and materials industries, as new government directives tie regional resort development to the broader goal of maximizing the use of locally produced building inputs.
Strategic focus on local construction materials
At a recent government meeting, the President of Uzbekistan instructed officials to significantly expand the use of local construction materials in tourism projects across the country. The task is straightforward but ambitious — ensure that new hotels and other hospitality facilities rely predominantly on Uzbek-made materials rather than imports.
Regional authorities have been told to raise the share of domestic materials in newly built hotels to at least ninety five percent, effectively turning each project into a showcase for local manufacturing. This is not a symbolic target: it is backed by detailed production plans for key construction inputs such as paints and coatings, sanitary ware, PVC pipes and fittings, wallpapers and decorative panels.
By the end of next year, Uzbekistan intends to increase output of paint and varnish products used in construction and finishing from around one hundred nineteen thousand tons to one hundred fifty thousand tons. Production of sanitary ware is set to grow from one and a half million to two million units, while capacity for PVC pipes and fittings should rise from about two hundred fifty five thousand to three hundred thousand tons.
Similar targets have been outlined for interior finishes: wallpaper production is planned to expand from six million to seven and a half million tons, and decorative panel manufacturing from fifteen million to eighteen million square meters. For domestic manufacturers, these figures represent guaranteed demand from a state backed tourism build out, and for foreign partners they signal where technology transfers, joint ventures and equipment supplies may be particularly welcome.
Regional tourism infrastructure program
The localization drive is embedded in a large scale, two year program for developing tourism infrastructure in Uzbekistan’s regions, adopted at the end of April. This program shifts the focus away from a few flagship destinations and toward a broader network of regional hubs, resort areas and cultural routes.
Within this framework, the government plans to build thirty four major tourism facilities across the country. Alongside these anchor complexes, the program envisages the creation of more than one thousand accommodation facilities, including around two hundred hotels. Together, they will significantly expand the national hospitality base and reshape demand patterns for construction materials, interior solutions and related services.
For regional administrations, the program is both an opportunity and a test. On one hand, the influx of investment into tourism infrastructure promises new jobs, urban upgrades and improved connectivity. On the other hand, officials must now coordinate land use, permitting and procurement in a way that prioritizes local producers of building materials, furniture, décor and engineering systems, while still meeting modern quality and design standards expected by international guests.
Kumushkon resort as a flagship localization project
To illustrate what the new approach should look like in practice, the meeting highlighted the Kumushkon resort complex in the Parkent district of Tashkent region. This mountain resort, which is preparing to open its doors, has been developed almost entirely with Uzbek materials: ninety eight percent of the construction inputs used in the project are locally produced.
Kumushkon resort is positioned as a modern tourist complex in a scenic area near the capital, combining accommodation, leisure and wellness functions. For the construction sector, it serves as a demonstration site showing that domestic materials can support contemporary architectural concepts, reliable engineering solutions and attractive interior design — not only in standard urban hotels but also in more demanding resort settings.
The project’s emphasis on localization is particularly important for suppliers of finishes, façades, sanitary equipment, piping systems and decorative elements. It signals that future resort developments in Uzbekistan will be expected to replicate this model, creating a chain of projects where local producers and service companies are integrated from the earliest design stages.
Why this matters for international construction and interior companies
For international businesses in furniture, construction, interior and exterior solutions, textiles, home appliances, architecture and design, Uzbekistan’s new tourism strategy opens several concrete avenues for engagement.
First, the scale of planned tourism infrastructure — dozens of large complexes and hundreds of hotels and other accommodation facilities — translates into sustained demand for high quality building materials, furnishings, lighting, bathroom and kitchen solutions, and public space design. While the government prioritizes local inputs, this does not exclude foreign partners; rather, it encourages them to enter through localized production, joint ventures, licensing, technology transfer and design collaboration.
Second, the clear quantitative targets for expanding domestic manufacturing of paints, sanitary ware, PVC products, wallpapers and decorative panels highlight where investment partnerships might be most effective. International players with expertise in efficient production lines, eco friendly materials, smart building technologies or advanced finishing solutions can find opportunities to anchor themselves in Uzbekistan’s value chains by partnering with local firms or establishing regional hubs.
Third, flagship projects like Kumushkon resort demonstrate that Uzbekistan is serious about combining localization with modern hospitality standards. This creates a promising environment for global hotel operators, resort developers, architects and interior designers who are ready to work with locally sourced materials, adapt their concepts to regional aesthetics and climate conditions, and contribute to building a distinctive Uzbek tourism product.
Overall, the new program signals a maturing investment climate in which tourism, construction and manufacturing are tightly interconnected. International companies that position themselves not just as suppliers, but as long term partners in local production and design ecosystems, will be best placed to benefit from Uzbekistan’s evolving macroregional role as a rising tourism and manufacturing hub in Central Asia.
