Photo from aktualno.uz.
Uzbekistan’s authorities will develop and implement a new marketing strategy to promote the country’s tourism potential in priority markets, including the United States, the Gulf states, India, China, and Scandinavia. The issue was discussed at a meeting on tourism development and the organization of major cultural events chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, according to the presidential press service.
The president also tasked officials with expanding Uzbekistan’s presence on international tourism platforms, developing digital content, and engaging major media outlets and opinion leaders.
Particular attention was paid to the digitalization of the sector. Mirziyoyev instructed the launch of a National Tourism Platform integrating public and private information systems, the introduction of proactive services for travelers and entrepreneurs, expanded use of cashless payments, and the establishment of clear analytics on tourist flows. It was emphasized that digitalization is expected to reduce the share of the shadow economy in the sector.
Several projects aimed at attracting foreign visitors were discussed. Among them is the “Samarkand Heritage Trail,” which will create a single tourist route 6.6 kilometers long, linking the Registan ensemble with the Bibi-Khanym and Shah-i-Zinda complexes and the Mirzo Ulugh Beg Observatory.
Samarkand will also see the creation of a new Silk Road Museum. For this purpose, a three-story building with a total area of 19,500 square meters will be constructed, featuring an inclusive environment, exhibition halls, storage facilities, and educational spaces.
The landscape design at the Ulugh Beg Observatory will be upgraded. A new museum building, immersive exhibition halls, and landscaped pedestrian paths integrating archaeological sites into a unified concept will also be added.
The president was presented with a master plan for Bukhara that предусматривает the formation of a comfortable urban environment, development of transport and tourism infrastructure, and the creation of a historical and ethnographic park as a multifunctional complex with a congress hall, amphitheater, library, food court, retail and commercial facilities, and a high-end hotel.
Achievements in culture and tourism were also noted. Samarkand successfully hosted the 43rd session of UNESCO’s General Conference, attended by more than 3,000 delegates from 190 countries.
Uzbekistan took part in EXPO 2025 in Japan, where the country’s “Garden of Knowledge” pavilion was visited by around one million people.
The results of the First Bukhara Biennial of Contemporary Art were highlighted as well. Over 70 days, 14 restored cultural heritage sites across an area of 3.5 hectares were used for the event, which attracted about 1.8 million visitors, including more than 100 high-level foreign guests.
In addition, Uzbekistan hosted concerts by global stars, including Jennifer Lopez in Tashkent, Andrea Bocelli in Samarkand, and Black Coffee in Khiva.
In 2025, more than 11 million tourists visited the country. Exports of tourism-related services reached $4.8 billion, and the number of countries whose citizens enjoy visa-free entry to Uzbekistan increased to 94.
At the same time, the need was underscored to transition the sector to a project-based management system, introduce a unified mechanism for creating tourism products, and strengthen coordination of large-scale events.
