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
00:15this 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 percent year
00:29in the first quarter of 2026 placing the country among the world's fastest growing destinations
00:36national 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 air
01:04connectivity has grown too according to flight connections scheduled flights currently connect
01:10uzbekistan with 107 airports in 40 countries with services operated by 45 airlines but the numbers
01:19tell only part of the story behind this growth are changes in how uzbekistan is developing its tourism
01:26sector and welcoming visitors let's take a closer look at what is happening on the ground samarkand is
01:33one of uzbekistan's best known silk road destinations its international airport handled 1.5 million passengers
01:40in 2025 three times its 2022 total in 2025
01:46in 2025
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02:09additional capacity for passengers. As Uzbekistan looks to attract more
02:14international visitors, infrastructure like this airport is becoming an
02:18important part of the country's tourism expansion. Across Uzbekistan, new
02:22accommodation facilities added more than 22,000 beds in the first seven months of
02:282026. Exports of tourism services reached nearly 3.9 billion dollars. The
02:35government also subsidizes qualifying charter flights and selected tourism
02:39startups. The new Jalole Danman Guberta train has cut the Tashkent-Hiva journey
02:44from 14 hours to seven and a half. Today we are providing service for more
02:50than 10 cities in Uzbekistan for high-speed trains which we are going to
02:54increase year by year. One of this project is a dedicated rail line for the
03:01passengers from Tashkent to Samarkand with a speed limit up to 300 kilometers per
03:06hour. But 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
03:30problem in Uzbekistan, feeling everywhere free.
03:33As tourism grows, Uzbekistan is also looking beyond its established destinations,
03:39developing new attractions and experiences to bring visitors to more 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?
04:14So this is the country, for every nation, to estate in Uzbekistan.
04:19And we have the country with other countries.
04:20To the country, to the region, to Samarkand, Bukhara, Bonfarlava,
04:25and to the country –Juens.
04:29In the country we are working through the country for the country,
04:38including the country in Uzbekistan.
04:47Thank you for joining.
04:49Well, that's all we have time for this edition.
04:51You can get more business news at euronews.com.
