Uzbekistan, with its rich cultural heritage, historical monuments and beautiful nature, is among the states that pay great attention to the development of tourism. The Strategy "Uzbekistan - 2030" sets the task of increasing the number of tourists by creating broad conditions for the development of foreign and domestic tourism.

In terms of the number of foreign tourists, Uzbekistan has reached 98% of the level observed before the pandemic. In particular, 6.748 million foreign tourists visited the country in 2019, and by 2023, this number amounted to 6.626 million. This indicates the rapid recovery of the tourism industry in our country.

In order to attract more foreign tourists, Uzbekistan is taking practical measures to simplify the visa regime, develop new destinations, attract investment in projects related to this industry and hold major events. For example, in 2023, 508 projects with a total value of 9.5 trillion soums were implemented, which created 9,492 new jobs. 183 new hotels and 232 hostels were opened, with the total number of accommodation facilities reaching 5,526. In addition, 452 family guesthouses were established, the total number of which reached 3,458. With the opening of 810 new tourism organizations and travel agencies, their total number increased to 2,649.

From 2017 to 2023, the number of foreign tourists visiting Uzbekistan has increased significantly. In particular, in 2017, 2.7 million people visited the country, and in 2023, this figure amounted to 6.6 million, which is 2.5 times more than in 2017 and 1.3 times more than in 2022.

The number of tourists from Japan in 2023 increased 5 times, from India and Italy 3.5 times, and from the United States 2 times. In 2023, foreign tourists from neighboring countries accounted for 80.7%, as well as 11.5% from other CIS countries and 7.8% from other countries. The average duration of stay of tourists increased to 4-5 days, which is 1.5 times more compared to 2022 (3 days). This indicates the creation of all necessary conditions for comfortable stay of tourists in the country.

Domestic tourism is also developing rapidly. Within the framework of the program "Travel Uzbekistan!" 15 million people traveled around the country, making 21 million visits to various regions. As social support, 1,100 people with disabilities and 570,000 young people were sent on trips.

In 2023, tourism services exports totaled $2.1435 billion, a 1.3-fold increase from 2022. Also, about 70 thousand new jobs were created in tourism and related industries. This shows that the country has created all necessary conditions for tourists, which contributes to economic growth and improvement of living standards of the population.

The development of tourism also contributes to achieving high positions of the country in international rankings. For example, in the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI-2023) Uzbekistan ranked 13th among 140 countries in terms of international pilgrimage tourism. At the Halal In Travel Awards 2023 ceremony, the city of Khiva was honored as the Islamic Heritage Tourism Destination of the Year.

At the 25th session of the UNWTO General Assembly held in 2023 in Samarkand city, Sentob village in Navoi region won the nomination "Best Tourism Village of 2023". In addition, the international publishing house Lonely Planet awarded Uzbekistan a special certificate in the nomination "Best Tourist Destination 2024".

Uzbekistan's inclusion in the list of the best countries for travel in 2024, according to the World of Statistics announcement, contributes to an increase in the number of foreign tourists and the volume of exports of tourism services. All this helps to strengthen the country's international image.

In general, the current state of Uzbekistan's tourism industry and its development trends demonstrate positive results. The analysis of measures taken for further development of tourism and prospects for the future confirms the strategic importance of this industry. In addition, the tasks on tourism development envisioned in the strategy "Uzbekistan - 2030" contribute to increasing the population's income, creating new jobs and ensuring the welfare of the people.



Iskandar Urokboyev,

Chief Specialist of the Department for Monitoring and Analysis of Economic Reforms of the Development Strategy Center

📅 22.06.2024