More than 2.1mn Uzbek citizens traveled abroad for tourism from January to April 2025, marking a 23.6% increase compared to the same period in 2024. According to the National Statistics Committee, a total of 2.12mn Uzbeks crossed borders for tourism purposes in the first four months of the year.
Neighboring countries remained the most popular destinations for Uzbek tourists. Kyrgyzstan topped the list with 899,000 visitors, followed by Tajikistan with 388,400 and Kazakhstan with 354,900.
Other frequently visited countries included Saudi Arabia (133,600), Russia (93,900), Turkey (64,200), the United Arab Emirates (58,800), Egypt (22,400), Thailand (15,400), and Vietnam (11,400). An additional 74,600 Uzbek citizens traveled to other destinations during this period.
A closer look at the January-February data reveals that out of 1.03mn outbound travelers, 220,771 were tourists. However, the majority, 795,461, traveled to visit relatives.
The rest were traveling for medical treatment (8,720), education (5,191), or official duties (2,018). These numbers reflect the diverse motivations behind international travel by Uzbek citizens.
Uzbekistan Sees Surge in Foreign Tourists
Inbound tourism to Uzbekistan is also on the rise. In the first five months of 2024, over 2.8mn foreign tourists visited Uzbekistan, including 10,600 from the United States. By June, the number of international visitors had surpassed 3.5mn, and by October 1, it reached 5.7mn.
In January 2024, 4,601 tourists from European Union countries visited Uzbekistan. Between January and March 2024, 1.52mn foreign citizens entered the country for tourism purposes.
To accommodate this growing demand, the Uzbek government is working to strengthen tourism infrastructure. In a June 2024 videoconference chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, officials discussed urgent issues such as the lack of modern water parks, particularly during the summer months. The president emphasized the need to develop a master plan for lakes, divide land into lots, and offer them to entrepreneurs for tourism development.
Officials were also instructed to improve the national calendar of festivals and revise requirements for concerts by international performers. Enhancing cultural offerings is seen as a way to attract more tourists and diversify entertainment options.
Another issue highlighted during the meeting was the difficulty tourists face in booking domestic transportation. Due to high demand, tickets for domestic flights and trains are often unavailable for up to two months, with some booked as far as six months in advance. To address this, the government plans to launch a unified online platform that will provide comprehensive travel information and enable early ticket purchases with tiered pricing systems.
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