Thirty-five years after independence, Uzbekistan is experiencing a tourism boom that is changing the way the country is seen by the world.
The numbers are striking. In the first seven months of 2026 alone, Uzbekistan welcomed 7.75 million foreign visitors – 22.6% more than during the same period a year earlier. Tourism-service exports reached almost US$3.9 billion, an increase of 56%.
Behind these figures is a much bigger story: the transformation of a country once known primarily for its ancient Silk Road cities into a modern, increasingly accessible and internationally connected destination.
For decades, Uzbekistan’s greatest tourism assets were hiding in plain sight. Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva possessed some of the world’s most remarkable Islamic architecture and Silk Road heritage, yet international tourism remained relatively limited. Independence opened the door to change – and over the past decade, that change has accelerated dramatically.
From Hidden Potential to Global Destination
Uzbekistan entered the post-Soviet era with extraordinary cultural and historical resources, but international travel was complicated and tourism infrastructure was limited. Gradual reforms began to remove those barriers.
A decisive shift came in the late 2010s. In 2018, the country received more than 5.3 million tourists, almost twice the figure recorded in 2017. The following year, Uzbekistan introduced visa-free travel for citizens of dozens of countries and simplified visa procedures for many others.
Visitor numbers continued to rise, reaching approximately 6.6 million foreign tourists in 2023, more than 10 million in 2024 and a record 11.7 million in 2025. Tourism-service exports reached US$4.8 billion last year, increasing by 42.2%.
But the transformation is not simply about attracting more people. It is about changing what Uzbekistan offers them.
The classic Silk Road itinerary remains the country’s strongest attraction. Yet today, visitors can also explore mountain resorts, deserts, traditional villages and craft workshops, taste regional cuisine, follow religious heritage routes or seek medical and wellness services.
This diversification is helping Uzbekistan move from a destination for short cultural visits to a country capable of offering longer and more varied travel experiences.
The World Is Getting Closer
Tourism cannot grow without connectivity, and Uzbekistan’s transport network is expanding rapidly.
During the first six months of 2026, the country’s airports handled 8.15 million passengers, 16% more than in the same period of 2025. International passenger traffic reached approximately 6.7 million, while the number of international flights rose to 47,371.
New routes are helping put Uzbekistan within easier reach of major global markets. Tashkent has welcomed new services from Shanghai with China Eastern, Seoul with Asiana Airlines and Yerevan with Shirak Avia.
Regional airports are also becoming part of the tourism story. Passenger traffic increased by 52% in Termez, 24% in Urgench and 23% in Nukus – a sign that tourism is gradually spreading beyond the capital and the traditional centres of international travel.
On 10 August, another significant connection was added when Etihad Airways launched a direct service between Abu Dhabi and Tashkent. The route strengthens Uzbekistan’s links with the Gulf and creates new opportunities to attract travellers from the Middle East, Asia and beyond.
For a landlocked country, every new international route matters. Each flight is not simply a transport connection; it is a new potential flow of visitors, investment and business.
A Tourism Economy Takes Shape
The physical infrastructure supporting this growth is expanding just as quickly. Between January and July 2026, Uzbekistan opened 705 new accommodation facilities, adding more than 22,000 beds. The country now has 7,440 accommodation facilities with a total capacity of approximately 202,600 beds.
International hotel groups are increasingly betting on the Uzbek market. Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, Accor and Radisson are among the global brands already operating in the country, while new projects continue to expand the modern hospitality sector.
Investment is following demand. During the first half of 2026, 97 tourism projects worth US$200.2 million were launched, creating more than 2,100 jobs.
At the same time, local entrepreneurship is flourishing. Uzbekistan had 3,455 tour operators, travel agencies and other tourism-service businesses as of July 2026 – 24.3% more than a year earlier. In 2022, there were fewer than 2,000.
That growth matters because tourism is not an industry limited to hotels and airlines. Every additional visitor creates demand for restaurants, guides, drivers, artisans, farmers, retailers, cultural attractions and entertainment.
More Than Numbers
Accommodation and food services generated approximately 227 trillion soums in 2025, up 10.4% from the previous year. Tourism-service exports reached US$4.8 billion, making tourism an increasingly important source of foreign-currency earnings.
In this sense, tourism is becoming an export industry without the need to ship a physical product abroad. Uzbekistan’s product is its history, landscape, culture, hospitality and increasingly its modern services.
This is particularly important for regional development. When tourists travel beyond Tashkent to Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Termez, Nukus or mountain and rural destinations, tourism income can reach communities far from the capital.
Independence Seen Through Tourism
The tourism boom carries special meaning in 2026, when Uzbekistan marks 35 years of independence.
The anniversary is an opportunity to look beyond political milestones and consider how independence has changed the country’s relationship with the outside world. Tourism offers perhaps one of the clearest examples.
Uzbekistan is now able to present its history and cultural identity directly to international audiences. The monuments of Samarkand and Bukhara, Islamic scholarship, traditional crafts, Uzbek cuisine, music and hospitality are no longer simply elements of national heritage. They have become part of the country’s international identity.
At the same time, the modern infrastructure surrounding that heritage tells another story – one of airports, international airlines, hotels, investment, digital services and private businesses.
The challenge now is to turn rapid growth into sustainable growth: longer visitor stays, greater spending, better services, more jobs and stronger regional economies.
If Uzbekistan succeeds, the tourism boom of the 2020s may ultimately be remembered as more than a recovery or a statistical success. It could become one of the defining economic stories of the country’s first 35 years of independence.
The Silk Road brought travellers to Uzbekistan centuries ago. Today, a new network of airlines, hotels, businesses and investment is bringing the world back.
And this time, Uzbekistan is ready to welcome it.
For details visit Uzbekistan official travel site here.
