Uzbekistan is strengthening its position on the global tourism map thanks not only to its rich historical heritage but also to its open tourism policy, development of modern infrastructure, and expansion of international ties.
Diversification of Tourist Destinations
The country, previously known mainly as a place for sightseeing or historical tourism, today attracts significant interest in areas such as cultural, gastronomic, ecological, medical, and business tourism. These trends are clearly reflected in statistical data.
Growth in the Number of Foreign Tourists
According to the National Statistical Committee, 6 million 565 thousand 410 foreign citizens arrived in Uzbekistan for tourism purposes in January-June 2026. This figure exceeds the same period last year by 1.3 million people, which represents a growth of 24.9 percent.
Geography of Tourist Flows
Neighboring countries contributed the most to the number of tourists: 1.87 million people came from the Kyrgyz Republic, 1.55 million from Kazakhstan, and 1.47 million from Tajikistan. These figures indicate the strengthening of regional tourist ties, border cooperation, and the development of transport routes.
Furthermore, Uzbekistan's international appeal is increasing due to the arrival of 585.5 thousand tourists from Russia, 238.9 thousand from Afghanistan, and 223.4 thousand from China. Other countries that sent a large number of tourists include Turkmenistan, Turkey, India, and Germany.
Factors of Growth and Prospects
According to analysts, the main reasons for the increase in the number of tourists are the expansion of the visa-free entry regime, the launch of new flights, the development of hotel infrastructure, active promotion of the country at international exhibitions, as well as growing interest in historic cities such as Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, and Shahrisabz.
Today, Uzbekistan attracts foreigners not only with monuments of history and architecture but also with modern tourist services, national cuisine, festivals, and ecological tourism destinations. This further strengthens the country's status as one of the most competitive tourist centers in Central Asia.
Given plans to implement new international flights, joint tourist routes, and major international events in the second half of the year, it is expected that the number of foreign visitors to Uzbekistan will reach even higher levels by the end of 2026.