Uzbekistan, with its historical attractions such as the blue buildings of Samarkand and the old neighborhoods of Bukhara, remains a well-known destination on the Silk Road. However, now more international travelers are discovering countries that go beyond these historical cities.
Significant Growth in Tourism
According to the Uzbekistan Tourism Committee report, the country recorded 9.1 million foreign visitors in the first eight months of 2026, indicating a 21.1 percent increase compared to last year. The export of tourism services also increased by 53.5 percent during this period, reaching 4.6 billion dollars (3.98 billion euros).
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This statistic includes travelers entering the country for various reasons, including visiting relatives and business trips. For example, last year, out of 7.5 million recorded entries, 5.17 million came to Uzbekistan to visit family.
New Experiences for Tourists
According to Oybek Hakimov, advisor to the head of the Uzbekistan Tourism Committee, the average spending per tourist has reached 503 dollars (436 euros), a significant increase from 197 dollars (171 euros) in 2017. Additionally, the average length of stay for tourists has increased to eight days. He added that interest in new destinations such as the Fergana Valley and Surkhandarya is on the rise.
Travelers from more distant markets are also rapidly growing. For instance, in the first eight months of 2026, the number of visitors from China increased by 2.3 times, Malaysia doubled, and Japan increased by 1.5 times. This trend is also evident from European markets such as Germany and France.
Hakimov referred to the facilitation of entry conditions into Uzbekistan, stating that the visa-free regime now includes 94 countries. This has led to a significant increase in the number of visitors from China, with the number of Chinese visitors in 2025 being more than six times the level of 2023.
Uzbekistan has also managed to attract attention in the adventure travel market, ranking fifth in the 2026 adventure travel destinations ranking.
Travelers like Cesar Markstein-Engoreanu from Romania traveled to Uzbekistan with a general idea of the country and expressed satisfaction with their positive experience there. He mentioned the kindness of the people and the high security of the country.
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