Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan is significantly scaling up its tourism services in accordance with Presidential Decree “On Measures to Sharply Increase Tourist Flows and Rapidly Expand the Scale of Tourism Services in 2025–2026 to Enhance the Role and Importance of Tourism in the Economy.”

The decree sets key targets for the tourism sector for the upcoming period. In particular, by the end of 2025, the country plans to organize regional travel for 15.8 million foreign tourists and increase the export volume of tourism services to 4 billion U.S. dollars. Special attention will be given to the development of domestic tourism: the number of domestic trips by local tourists is expected to reach 40 million, while 378 new tour operators will begin operations.

Starting from 1 June 2025, a visa-free regime allowing stays of up to 30 days will be introduced for citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman.

Another innovation is the annual development of regional tourism programs, which will be approved by November 30 each year, beginning in 2025. Additionally, the International Tourism Week will be held annually in the third week of November.

From June 2025, under the “Travel Around Uzbekistan!” program, every second Saturday and Sunday of the month will be declared Days of Family and Group Tourism. Participants in national youth sports competitions who place in the top ranks will receive additional rewards in the form of tourist vouchers for routes within this program.

To encourage infrastructure development in tourism, entrepreneurs will be able to receive one-time subsidies covering part of the costs of building and equipping modular hotels until 1 January 2027. The support amounts will be 10 million soums per room for first-category hotels, 7 million soums for second-category, and 5 million soums for third-category, provided the hotel consists of at least 10 modules.

Furthermore, until 1 January 2028, part of the expenses for staff training in medical tourism clusters will be reimbursed. By 1 January 2030, services of such clusters are planned to be actively promoted at international tourism and medical exhibitions.

Starting from 1 June 2025, all state electronic systems and platforms related to tourism will be developed under the framework of a Unified National Tourism Platform. By the end of 2025, a specialized office titled “Tourism on the Great Silk Road” will be opened in Samarkand, intended to become a new focal point for tourists and the professional community.