Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Demand among Russian tourists for autumn tours to Uzbekistan has increased compared with last year, with excursion programs and short city tours proving the most popular options, the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RST) said.
According to tour operator Intourist, bookings for excursion tours to Uzbekistan for September–November are being made daily.
Annual demand growth stands at 15%. Darya Domostroeva, the company’s director of public relations, said autumn sales remained stable, with tourists choosing both classic itineraries and shorter trips.
Price remains one of the key factors in tour selection. Programs combining an affordable price with a comprehensive excursion component are particularly popular.
Uzbekistan is also included in combined itineraries covering Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. However, these programs attract less demand because of their higher cost.
Prices for popular tours to Uzbekistan start at 47,000 Russian roubles per person, excluding airfare. A three-day trip costs nearly 22,000 roubles per person, also excluding flights.
According to the RST, airfares from Russia to Uzbekistan are around 19,000–20,000 roubles on Centrum Air and Qanot Sharq flights, while Uzbekistan Airways tickets start at 23,000 roubles. Pobeda tickets cost 26,800 roubles, Aeroflot tickets 28,200 roubles and Ural Airlines tickets 29,000 roubles.
Intourist expects demand to remain high throughout the autumn. The company also anticipates further growth in tourist traffic and sales compared with last year, driven by short programs and city tours, while classic itineraries are expected to remain popular.
Another Russian tour operator, Alean, recorded a 65% increase in bookings for tours to Uzbekistan compared with last autumn. The company’s deputy director, Oksana Bulakh, attributed the growth to an expanded range of offerings and the country’s hotel base.
She said the geographic coverage of direct flights was also expanding. In particular, Centrum Air has launched flights connecting Tashkent with Yekaterinburg, Ufa and Perm. Event tourism is also developing.
Uzbekistan accounts for 14% of Alean’s total autumn bookings for excursion tours. By this measure, the country ranks among the most popular destinations, alongside Belarus, St. Petersburg and the Kaliningrad Region.
The cost of excursion tours to Uzbekistan has increased by 5–10% over the past year. A five-day program excluding transportation costs starts at 76,800 roubles for two people, while a one-week program starts at 100,900 roubles.
Demand continues to focus primarily on classic excursion programs lasting seven to eight days. These itineraries include visits to Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, as well as an introduction to the region’s cuisine.
