Uzbekistan Plans Nurbulak Resort Town in Samarkand

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan has prepared a draft resolution to establish a new sanatorium-resort town named Nurbulak in the Samarkand Region. The project entails the development of a major medical and health tourism center utilizing natural thermal springs.

According to the document, Nurbulak will cover an area of 470 hectares in the Nurabad district. Within one month following the adoption of the resolution, the settlement is planned to receive the status of an urban settlement under regional jurisdiction, with plans for subsequent transformation into a city.

The primary natural asset of the prospective resort will be its therapeutic thermal radon springs. The project provides for the construction of international-standard sanatoriums and resort facilities to utilize the healing waters effectively. Plans call for expanding the number of sanatoriums to 50, with a combined capacity of 7,400 beds.

The document also outlines key targets for the tourism sector. Objectives include doubling the number of domestic and foreign tourists, increasing exports of medical and health tourism services by 2.3 times, and extending the average stay of guests from five to eight days.

To attract investment, tax and customs incentives are proposed. Until 1 January 2035, investors implementing projects to construct sanatoriums and spa complexes will be exempt from customs duties on imported equipment, machinery, and raw materials, and will receive a 50 percent reduction in land tax rates.

Within six months of the document's adoption, the Khokimiyat of Samarkand Region is required to develop a master plan for Nurbulak's development. Funding for design work and state expert reviews will be drawn from the Fund for the Development of Tourism Infrastructure in Mountainous and Remote Areas.

Land plots for tourism infrastructure will be allocated via online auctions in accordance with the master plan and investment obligations. To support hotel and sanatorium construction, investors will be offered concessional loans from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development at an interest rate not exceeding the Central Bank's main rate, which stood at 14 percent at the time of publication.

The project also provides for the creation of a national medical and health tourism brand named "Avicenna" and the launch of a corresponding online platform. The platform will feature information on medical facilities, sanatoriums, and tourism sites in Uzbek, English, Russian, Chinese, and Arabic, alongside an interactive map and online inquiry service.