00:04From expanding flight networks to new tourism experiences, Uzbekistan is transforming how
00:10visitors reach and explore the country as international arrivals continue to rise.
00:16This is Business Line Uzbekistan. Hello and welcome. Uzbekistan is seeing a sharp rise in
00:22international tourism. According to UN tourism, international arrivals were up 37% year-on-year
00:29in the first quarter of 2026, placing the country among the world's fastest-growing destinations.
00:37National figures show the scale of that growth. Around 7.7 million international visitors arrived
00:43in the first seven months of the year, followed by another 1.4 million in August alone. Uzbekistan
00:51has also taken steps to make travel easier. Citizens of more than 90 countries can now enter visa-free,
00:57while travelers from other eligible countries can apply for an electronic visa online.
01:03Air connectivity has grown too. According to Flight Connections, scheduled flights currently
01:09connect Uzbekistan with 107 airports in 40 countries, with services operated by 45 airlines.
01:17But the numbers tell only part of the story. Behind this growth are changes in how Uzbekistan is developing its
01:26tourism sector
01:27and welcoming visitors. Let's take a closer look at what is happening on the ground.
01:33Samarkand is one of Uzbekistan's best-known Silk Road destinations. Its international airport handled 1.5 million passengers
01:40in 2025. Three times its 2022 total.
02:05It's modern terminal opened in 2022, providing additional capacity for passengers.
02:11As Uzbekistan looks to attract more international visitors, infrastructure like this airport is becoming
02:17an important part of the country's tourism expansion. Across Uzbekistan, new accommodation facilities
02:24added more than 22,000 beds in the first seven months of 2026. Exports of tourism services reached
02:32nearly 3.9 billion dollars. The government also subsidizes qualifying charter flights and selected
02:39tourism start-ups. The new Jalole-Danman Guberta train has cut the Tashkent-Hiva journey from 14 hours to 7
02:46and a half.
02:47Today we are providing service for more than 10 cities in Uzbekistan for high-speed trains, which we are going
02:54to increase year by year.
02:56One of these projects is a dedicated rail line for the passengers from Tashkent to Samarkand, with a speed limit
03:04up to 300 kilometers per hour.
03:06But visitors also judge destinations by the services they receive.
03:19For others, feeling safe is just as important.
03:22After visiting Uzbekistan, I felt all the time very secure. I think the security is my last problem in Uzbekistan,
03:31feeling everywhere free.
03:33As tourism grows, Uzbekistan is also looking beyond its established destinations, developing new attractions and experiences to bring visitors to
03:43more parts of the country.
03:44Joining us now is Laibek Hakimov, advisor to the chairman of Uzbekistan's tourism committee.
03:50Mr. Hakimov, what measures is Uzbekistan taking to make the country easier and more appealing to travel to?
03:57Some people always say, that they are bi-sumption, usually, in any country, and there is a link in Uzbekistan's
04:02future,
04:02I think we are making the difference, if we rule the country of Uzbekistan's country,
04:09we are making the best choices of our citizens.
04:10We need to give the country and the thousands of leaders to find out.
04:12I believe that the people we are the first 1 in Uzbekistan,
04:14of course, they have already made the Zikistan's city of Uzbekistan,
04:15in New York City of Uzbekistan, and in пом typh mayoría is the first 3 years in the district of
04:16Uzbekistan,
04:20and the Uchamanian, in Uchaman and in Uzbekistan,
04:24Uqaman and in Uzbekistan's country, the river are moving from Uzbekistan,
04:25and in Uzbekistan, we are looking for the opportunity to takeoff.
04:47Obrigado por assistir.
04:49Bem, isso é tudo.
04:50Nós temos tempo para essa edição.
04:51Você pode ver mais negócios novos novos novos novos.com.
04:54Obrigado por assistir.
04:57Obrigado por assistir.
