A huge country known for its rich cultural heritage, and stunning architecture is touting a wide variety of new attractions to turn itself into a major tourist destination.
Uzbekistan, a landlocked country in Central Asia, intends to increase the number of foreign tourists to 15 million by 2030, more than double the 6.6 million who visited the country in 2023, it has been reported.
The government is all set to launch initiatives to promote geological, industrial and even military tourism from January 2025,
A presidential plan has been published outlining the steps to be taken by the Agency for Strategic Reforms, together with the State Tourism Committee, to develop the sector, reports eurasianet.
According to Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s vision: “Muynak airport [in northwestern Uzbekistan] could become a venue for extreme tourism, with parachuting and skydiving.”
In 2023, tourism contributed approximately $2.1 billion (£1.5 billion) to the economy, creating around 70,000 new jobs in the industry.
According to the World Economic Forum, Uzbekistan climbed 16 spots (+7.8 percent) in the Travel & Tourism Development Index between 2019 and 2024, now ranking 78th out of 119 countries. Additionally, it secured the top position in the 2023 Lloyd’s Register Foundation Safety Perceptions Index.
“We intend to create a Global Green Tourism Startup Lab,” said Mirziyoyev, adding that the facility will develop innovative solutions with the Central AsianGreen University outside Tashkent and the Silk Road University in Samarkand.
Uzbekistan was a key player in the ancient Silk Road, with cities like Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva being major trade hubs. These cities are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites known for their Islamic architecture, including madrasas, mosques, and bazaars.
Promotion deals are also being negotiated with streaming platforms like Netflix, as well as major travel companies such as China’s Trip.com and Dubai’s Holiday Factory.
To capture the attention of younger travelers, Uzbekistan is engaging bloggers, vloggers, and social media influencers with over 10 million followers. Fifty of these influencers will be invited to tour the country at the government’s expense.
“In order to increase the attractiveness of Uzbekistan in the tourism sector and improve the awareness of tourists, it is necessary to equip tourist destinations with modern navigation and orientation systems,” the presidential decree states.
“This includes digital and interactive systems such as signs, banners, electronic maps and mobile applications that will help tourists navigate easily and get all the information they need.
