Uzbekistan is preparing to open the first phase of the Gelon ski resort in Kashkadarya Region in 2027, adding a major mountain destination to the country’s expanding tourism infrastructure. The project is being developed in cooperation with Tatarstan.
The resort’s planned launch comes as Kashkadarya seeks to turn its natural landscape into a larger tourism and investment platform. Since the beginning of 2026, the region has received 2.5 million visitors, including 500,000 tourists who travelled to the mountain village of Gelon alone.
Uzbekistan’s authorities estimate that Kashkadarya has the potential to attract up to 6 million tourists annually. Alongside the ski resort, attention is being directed to other mountain settlements that could support a broader network of destinations and extend visitor flows beyond the existing centres.
Mountain villages targeted for ethnic tourism
The villages of Taragay in Chirakchi District, Bashir in Kitab District and Tatar in Yakkabag District have been proposed for development as ethnic tourism centres. Their positioning could combine local culture, mountain landscapes and rural accommodation with the recreational offer planned around Gelon.
For international companies in hospitality, construction, architecture, interior and exterior design, furniture and tourism-related trade, the plans point to a potential pipeline of projects in a relatively underdeveloped mountain market. Demand may emerge for hotels and guesthouses, restaurants, visitor facilities, ski infrastructure, transport links and locally adapted interiors. The scale of the opportunity will depend on the pace of construction, access improvements and the ability to manage seasonal tourism growth without weakening the region’s environmental and cultural appeal.
