Tourism Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan

As noted during the press conference, in accordance with Resolution No. RP-348 of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated November 19, 2025, the Tourism Committee was established, and the document defined the key objectives for the development of the tourism industry through 2030.

In particular, the goals include increasing tourism’s share in the country’s gross domestic product to 7 percent, raising the number of foreign tourists to 20 million visitors, and expanding the export of tourism services to more than USD 6 billion.

It was also reported that on January 15 of the current year, a presentation on the planned measures in the tourism sector was delivered to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and, in accordance with the instructions of the Head of State, extensive field studies were conducted by a republican working group.

During these meetings, dialogue was held with more than 1,500 entrepreneurs, during which over 200 pressing issues were raised. It was emphasized that most of these issues were reflected in Resolution No. RP-161 of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated April 30, 2026.

Special attention during the press conference was devoted to the content and significance of this resolution.

According to the document, tourism development targets for the regions have been established for 2026–2027, including the creation of 40,000 new jobs in the sector. In addition, a project management system is being introduced in the tourism industry.

From now on, activities will be organized on a systematic basis according to the following chain:

“Attractive location — project — infrastructure — entrepreneur — promotion — tourist.”

Within the framework of this approach, master plans are expected to be developed for 34 major tourism sites, along with the creation and development of 31 new tourism facilities.

In particular, under the project management system, the “Kipchak Fishing Village” tourism complex development project will be implemented in the Amudarya district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

To ensure the effective implementation of such initiatives, the “Project Office for Tourism Infrastructure Development” is being established under the Tourism Committee as a state institution.

During the press conference, it was also announced that 950 billion soums will be allocated this year for the development of tourism infrastructure.

These funds are planned to be directed toward the repair of highways, installation of engineering and utility networks, construction of sanitary facilities, improvement of coastal areas, and other infrastructure projects.

At the same time, it was noted that the number of accommodation facilities is planned to increase to 8,250 properties, while the room capacity will reach 95,000 rooms.

In order to develop ecological, ethnographic, pilgrimage, gastronomic, medical, sports, and MICE tourism, a “Project Office for Tourism Product Development” is also being established.

The event also addressed global trends in the development of the tourism industry.

It was emphasized that modern tourists are increasingly using artificial intelligence technologies, including ChatGPT, to plan travel routes, select hotels, and calculate travel budgets.

In addition, it was noted that travelers are showing growing interest in tours focused on gastronomic, ecological, and cultural experiences.

Special attention was also given to international cooperation.

In particular, preliminary agreements have reportedly been reached with the American company Expedia Group, the Spanish company Amadeus, and the Chinese platform Trip.com regarding the promotion of Uzbekistan’s tourism potential on the international market.

It was also noted that information and press tours are being organized on a regular basis for foreign tour operators and representatives of international media outlets.

In particular, special familiarization tours were conducted for tour operators from Russia, Türkiye, Pakistan, and neighboring countries. In addition, representatives of leading media outlets from the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand visited Uzbekistan.

During the press conference, it was especially emphasized that international publications highly appreciate Uzbekistan’s tourism potential.

Thus, “The Washington Post”, “The Telegraph”, and “Condé Nast Traveler” included Uzbekistan among the most promising travel destinations for 2026.

As noted during the event, thanks to the large-scale reforms being implemented, Uzbekistan welcomed 4 million foreign tourists during the first four months of the current year, which is 30 percent higher than during the same period last year.

The export volume of tourism services during this period reached USD 1.6 billion.

In addition, within the framework of the “Travel Across Uzbekistan” program, 6 million 844 thousand domestic tourist trips across the country’s regions were organized.

At the conclusion of the press conference, journalists’ questions were answered, and priority tasks for the further development of the country’s tourism industry were outlined.