Uzbekistan Aims to Welcome 20 Million Tourists and Elevate Tourism's GDP Share to 7% by 2030

According to Kazinform, Uzbekistan plans to increase the number of incoming international visitors to 20 million by 2030, raising the tourism sector's share of the national GDP to 7%. Tourism service exports are projected to exceed $8 billion, while the inventory of high-end hotels is set to double.

As stated by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the country welcomed nearly 12 million international tourists in 2025—a sixfold increase compared to 2016 figures. Over the same period, tourism service exports surged 11 times to reach $4.8 billion. Notably, nearly one in four travelers visiting the republic arrives from Kazakhstan.

To achieve these new milestones, authorities intend to accelerate regional infrastructure development. Plans include constructing an international tourist village, a congress center, and a historical-ethnographic park in Khiva, establishing a Silk Road Museum in Samarkand, and developing new archaeological routes in Karakalpakstan. Technological priorities feature the integration of artificial intelligence and the launch of a unified national tourism platform. Additionally, a proposal has been put forward to establish the honorary title of "Honored Worker of Tourism of the Republic of Uzbekistan."

Tour operators and hoteliers operating in the region should factor in the substantial expansion of high-end room inventory and the development of specialized segments—ranging from eco- and pilgrimage tourism to medical and mountain travel—when designing long-term contracts and investment strategies.

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