Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated on September 27 in his message dedicated to World Tourism Day that the country plans to host 20 million foreign guests annually by 2030.
According to the Presidential Press Service of Uzbekistan, in addition to this goal, the country intends to increase the share of tourism in GDP to 7%, increase the export of tourism services to more than 8 billion US dollars, and double the number of high-class hotels.
The message highlighted the sector's progress in recent years: in 2025, nearly 12 million foreign tourists visited Uzbekistan, which is more than six times higher than the figure in 2016. The export of tourism services increased elevenfold, reaching 4.8 billion US dollars.
According to Mirziyoyev, the open policy, simplified visa procedures, expansion of transport and hotel infrastructure, as well as tax and customs benefits for businesses are giving a new impetus to the industry's development.
The President also noted that at the initiative of Uzbekistan, the UN General Assembly declared 2027 the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism. Furthermore, the UN World Tourism Organization included Uzbekistan in the list of the five fastest-growing tourist destinations in the world.
Several new infrastructure projects were presented within the framework of the announced plans. The city of Khiva will receive an international tourist city, a congress center, and a historical and ethnographic park. In Ichan-Kala, the creation of a 'smart' museum complex based on digital technologies is planned.
A Silk Road Museum with a unique collection of exhibits will be built in Samarkand. New routes to archaeological sites will open in Karakalpakstan, and the Gilon and Arashan complexes will be developed in the Shahrisabz district of Kashkadarya region and the Pap district of Namangan region, respectively.
Mirziyoyev pointed out that attractions that have become symbols of New Uzbekistan attract significant interest from both local residents and foreign guests. These include the Center for Islamic Civilization, the Imam Bukhari and Buranuddin al-Harawi complexes, and the Center for Contemporary Art.
The priorities of the sector are the introduction of modern technologies, the launch of a unified national tourism platform, the integration of services into a single tourism system, the use of artificial intelligence, and regular professional development of industry specialists.
Special attention will be paid to the accelerated development of higher value-added tourism segments, including gastronomic, ecological, pilgrimage, medical, mountain, adventure, business, ethnic, and rural tourism.
The President expressed gratitude to tour operators, travel agents, hotel and family guesthouse staff, guides and tour conductors, restaurateurs, transport and service companies, artisans, cultural figures, museum employees, and mentors.
He emphasized that strengthening the material and technical base and human resources of the sector, as well as ensuring proper incentives for tourism workers, will remain a priority. Mirziyoyev also proposed establishing the honorary title 'Honored Worker of Tourism of the Republic of Uzbekistan.'