Uzbekistan, with its historical attractions along the Silk Road, has become one of the prominent tourist destinations. According to statistics from the Uzbekistan Tourism Committee, the country recorded 9.1 million foreign visitors in the first eight months of 2026, indicating a 21.1 percent increase compared to the previous year.
Growth in Tourism Revenues
Revenues from tourism services have also increased to 4.6 billion dollars (equivalent to 3.98 billion euros) during this period, showing a growth of 53.5 percent. It is worth mentioning that these figures include various types of trips, including business travel and family visits. In 2025, out of a total of 7.5 million visitors, 5.17 million entered the country for family visits.
Increase in Tourist Spending and Length of Stay
Aybek Hakimov, advisor to the Chairman of the Uzbekistan Tourism Committee, announced that the average spending per tourist has reached 503 dollars (436 euros), which shows a significant increase compared to 197 dollars (171 euros) in 2017. Additionally, surveys conducted in May and June indicate that the average length of stay for tourists has reached eight days.
Hakimov also noted the increasing interest of tourists in traveling to new destinations beyond the classic routes of Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, stating that the Fergana, Kashkadarya, and Surkhandarya regions are also gaining more attention.
Significant Growth from International Markets
In the first eight months of 2026, the number of tourists from China increased by 2.3 times, from Malaysia doubled, and from Japan increased by 1.5 times. Additionally, the number of visitors from Germany increased by 25 percent, and from France and the UK by 21 percent. Statistics show that over 23.1 thousand out of 26.1 thousand German visitors entered Uzbekistan for travel.
Improvement in Entry Conditions and Infrastructure Development
Hakimov pointed to the improvement in entry conditions to the country as one of the factors for the growth of tourism. The visa-free regime now includes 94 countries. For example, after the introduction of a 30-day visa-free travel for Chinese citizens, the number of Chinese visitors in 2025 reached more than six times the level of 2023.
Uzbekistan has also attracted attention in the adventure tourism market, ranking fifth in the 2026 ranking of individual adventure tourism destinations.
Improvements in transportation infrastructure have also contributed to the increase in visitors. The new high-speed train service Jaloliddin Manguberdi between Tashkent and Khiva, which started operating in May, has reduced travel time from about 14 hours to approximately 7.5 hours.
Accommodation capacity is also expanding. Between January and July 2026, 705 new accommodation facilities with a capacity of 22,296 beds were opened across the country. Uzbekistan now has 7,440 registered accommodation facilities, with a capacity of over 202,000 guests.
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