Uzbekistan Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in uzbekistan, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Travel and Tourism
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Located in the heart of Central Asia, Uzbekistan — with its rich cultural and historical heritage, friendly people, delicious cuisine, and beautiful nature — is ready to expand its travel and tourism industry. The government views the tourism sector as important for the country’s economic development, with high growth potential. Uzbekistan was closed to foreigners for many years, and the government has initiated reforms to open access to its rich cultural and historical heritage to facilitate development of tourism. The number of foreign tourists visiting Uzbekistan grew in 2024 by 20% to 8 million people. The country’s export of tourism services surged from $2.14 billion in 2023 to $3.52 billion in 2024. In the Uzbekistan-2030 Strategy the government set a target of 15 million foreign tourists and $5 billion of tourism services exports.  

As of August 2025, Uzbekistan has a visa-free regime for the citizens of 90 countries and e-visas for the citizens of 56 countries, including the United States. Citizens of the United States age 55 and over can travel visa-free to Uzbekistan for tourism purposes for a period not exceeding 30 days. U.S. citizens who are under 16 and traveling for tourism also do not require a visa.  Starting from June 2025, Uzbekistan and China established visa-free travel regime for their citizens for tourism purposes for up to 30 days. Additionally, the countries agreed to increase the number of weekly flights between them from 46 to 60 by the end of 2025. Uzbekistan wants to attract 1 million tourists from China while this number was only 74,300 in 2024. In July 2025 Uzbekistan and Russia agreed to increase the number of weekly flights from 310 to 1,000.      

The government is also promoting pilgrimage tourism. Officials are working to increase flight connections to Uzbekistan from Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Middle East, train qualified guides, and improve conditions and roads to pilgrimage sites. With more than 1,200 shrines, the country could potentially attract 1 million pilgrims a year. Uzbekistan ranked 17th out of 153 countries in the Global Muslim Travel Index 2025. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation declared Khiva the Tourism Capital of the Islamic World in 2024.

Uzbekistan is modernizing and expanding its airports to serve more travelers. State-owned enterprise Uzbekistan Airports separated from Uzbekistan Airways in 2019 to manage Uzbekistan’s 11 international airports. The company is planning to issue $100 million eurobonds in 2025. On January 16, 2023, it signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with Changi International Airports (Singapore), which calls for the joint development of a feasibility study for two projects: development of the existing Tashkent International Airport, including improving the competitiveness and quality of passenger service, as well as introducing advanced technologies and increasing passenger traffic; and planning and building a new Tashkent International Airport. The expansion of the international terminal of the existing Tashkent International Airport from 7 million to 13 million passengers is planned to be completed by mid-2026. 

The government forecasts that the passenger traffic by air through Tashkent will grow to 15 million by 2030. In September 2025 Uzbekistan Airports will open a new Tashkent Eastern Airport for business charter flights and high-level guests. Furthermore, the country announced in 2025 its plan to build a new Tashkent Airport by 2030, which will be located 17 km south of Tashkent and able to service 20 million passengers a year. Uzbekistan Airports is also working with private companies to modernize and transfer the management of some of its airports. The new Samarkand Airport, managed by Air Marakanda, opened in March 2022 and began operating in “open sky” mode in October 2022. Incheon International Airport Corporation won the tender in 2025 on modernization and management of Urgench Airport.

Uzbekistan is inviting investors to open world class resorts. The $80 million ski resort Amirsoy, which started operating in December 2019, was one of the first such resorts. During Tashkent International Investment Forum 2025 the government signed the $5 billion investment agreement with Azerbaijani company Agalarov Development for the construction of the all-season Sea Breeze Uzbekistan resort near Charvak water reservoir in the Bostanlyk district of Tashkent region.

Table: Travel and Tourism Market Size, Million USD

 

2022  

2023

2024  

2025 estimated

Total Exports*

1,610

2,144

3,519

N/A

Total Imports**

1,430

1,339

1,909

N/A

Imports from the US

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Trade Surplus/Deficit***

180

805

1,610

N/A

Exchange Rates****

11,051

11,737

12,653

12,900


*Earnings of Uzbekistan from incoming tourists.
**Spending of Uzbek citizens on foreign trips.
***Trade Surplus/Deficit = Total Exports – Total Imports
**** Exchange Rates = Uzbek soums per $1.  
Units: $ millions
Source: The State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan.  

Leading Sub-sectors

  • Hospitality
  • Airports
  • Aircraft

Opportunities

Foreign investors may find opportunities in the hospitality sector. International hotel brands are currently found mainly in the capital city of Tashkent, but there is demand for more hotels and global franchises in Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva - the central cities of the ancient Silk Road and major tourism destinations. The government has sought to attract foreign investment and management services to the country’s airports in the form of public-private partnerships, offering an exemption from customs duties and a 50% reduction in income and property taxes for three years. Uzbekistan’s expansion plans for its fleet of short- and medium-haul aircraft should create business opportunities for manufacturers.


For specific opportunities, businesses should contact organizations involved in Uzbekistan’s tourism industry, including the Tourism Committee, Uzbekistan Airways, Uzbekistan Airports and Ministry of Transport.  

Resources

U.S. companies and individuals interested in learning more about upcoming procurements and export opportunities are encouraged to visit the following websites:

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