Uzbekistan Drafts Presidential Decree to Development Active Tourism

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan, in collaboration with relevant ministries and departments, has developed a draft presidential decree aimed at advancing active tourism. The document has been released for public consultation.

During the drafting process, practices from Switzerland, Austria, France, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan were analyzed. Consultations were also conducted with representatives of tourism businesses, non-profit organizations, and volunteer rescue services.

The draft outlines six key directions for active tourism development: enhancing tourist safety, effectively utilizing regional natural potential, introducing national and international safety standards, digitizing and simplifying permit procedures, improving training for guides and instructors, and supporting entrepreneurs and non-governmental organizations.

The document provides for establishing a list of 162 natural sites with high potential for active tourism across the Tashkent, Surkhandarya, Samarkand, Kashkadarya, and Jizzakh regions, covering mountain ranges, lakes, waterfalls, caves, and peaks. A dedicated roadmap will be approved to build infrastructure and expand services across these locations.

Following the decree's adoption, the Tourism Committee will prepare a unified regulation governing active tourism within one month. A separate framework will be introduced for extreme tourism facilities, including state registration, commissioning, and tracking. Standardized regulations will incorporate attractions such as ziplines, alpine coasters (rodelbahns), bungee jumping, rope parks, and suspension bridges.

The project also provides for implementing international standards in training guides and mountain instructors. The Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Tourism Committee will jointly formulate training and certification programs adhering to international specifications. Specialized training courses are planned to open in Karakalpakstan, as well as the Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Namangan, Samarkand, Syrdarya, Surkhandarya, and Tashkent regions.

Permit procedures for visiting mountainous and border areas will be simplified. Local residents and foreign tourists will be able to obtain electronic permits through the Single Portal of Interactive Public Services within ten days.

A dedicated section of the proposal focuses on developing small aviation. The Civil Aviation Agency is designated as the primary state regulator for this sector, assuming authority over aircraft registration, certification, maintenance, pilot training, and flight safety oversight. The Ministry of Transport has been tasked with drafting simplified rules for registering small aircraft and introducing mandatory civil liability insurance.

Plans also include creating a "Small Aviation" digital platform, launching a Cadet Program for pilot training, restoring regional airfields for tourism use, and leasing select facilities to private operators.

To support commercial operators, the draft proposes exempting imports of around 40 types of vehicles, machinery, and equipment used in active tourism from customs duties between 1 January 2027 and 1 January 2030. Exemptions will cover quad bikes, off-road vehicles, campers, jet skis, parachutes, paragliders, hang gliders, mountaineering gear, and other specialized equipment.

Furthermore, starting in 2027, state programs will progressively incorporate projects to develop road, utility, and tourism infrastructure at active tourism locations. Additional provisions include establishing a tourism service insurance framework and introducing special traffic management rules for buses and minibuses on popular mountain routes, including Charvak, Zaamin, and the Kamchik Pass.

According to the developers, implementing these measures will accelerate the growth of active and extreme tourism, spur new tourism products, enhance regional appeal, and generate new employment opportunities.