Personal safety is increasingly becoming one of the key factors influencing travelers' choice of destination. This aspect is reflected in the Safety Perceptions Index 2023, an international study published by the Institute for Economics & Peace (Vision of Humanity).

According to the study, Uzbekistan ranked first among 121 countries in terms of perceived personal safety. Unlike conventional rankings based on crime statistics, the Index measures how safe people feel in their daily lives, drawing on data from the global World Risk Poll.

In recent years, safety has become an increasingly important consideration for the global tourism industry. Alongside transport accessibility, service quality and tourism infrastructure, the perception of personal security plays a significant role in shaping confidence in a destination and influencing travel decisions.

In this context, the findings of the Safety Perceptions Index offer an additional perspective on Uzbekistan's tourism potential. Alongside its rich historical and cultural heritage, diverse travel experiences and continuously developing tourism infrastructure, the country's high level of perceived safety contributes to its international image as a welcoming destination.

The combination of cultural heritage, renowned hospitality, ongoing tourism reforms and a comfortable public environment creates favorable conditions for visitors. As Uzbekistan continues to expand its international tourism profile, findings from independent global studies provide valuable insight into how the country is perceived by people around the world.

Link to the analytical report:

https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/SPI-2023-2.pdf

On April 13, 2026, Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan was officially recognized as the largest museum of Islamic civilization in the world, receiving the prestigious title from Guinness World Records.

The solemn award ceremony was attended by the official representative and Şeyda Subaşı Gemici, judge of Guinness World Records, who confirmed that the Center meets all international standards.

The event was also attended by the architects, planners, designers and builders who made a significant contribution to the project’s realization. The award was presented to the members of the Center's Scientific Council.

Şeyda Subaşı noted:

“As an official Guinness World Records adjudicator, I can state that every corner of the museum and every exhibit presented possesses its own uniqueness and cultural value. It is evident that years of large-scale, meticulous work stand behind the creation of this space.

Visiting the museum left a powerful impression on me - it is truly a profound and meaningful experience. Although it is impossible to cover absolutely everything during a single visit, the evaluation process strictly followed established procedures: I used an official logbook where every exhibit was recorded and verified by specialists in Islamic archaeology, art and science.

I am sincerely impressed by the level of work accomplished and would like to express my gratitude to everyone involved in the realization of this project. This is an outstanding achievement, the result of colossal effort and high professionalism. The contribution of every participant deserves individual respect. And, in the language of Guinness World Records, this is truly “Officially Amazing”.

Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan is a large-scale scientific, educational, and museum complex, implemented as an original mega-project by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Initiated in 2017 and completed on March 17, 2026, it serves as a unique cultural and educational platform for “New Uzbekistan”, integrating scientific potential, cultural heritage and modern technology within a single space. The project embodies the head of state's strategic vision to strengthen national identity and establish Uzbekistan as a premier global hub of Islamic civilization.

Chief Architect of the project Abdukakhor Turdiev noted:

“The uniqueness of the Center lies in the fact that its architecture reflects the rich culture and heritage of Uzbekistan. Thanks to the ongoing reforms, the country is confidently opening up to the world, establishing itself not only as a hub of science and culture but also as a state actively participating in the global dialogue of civilizations.”

Today, Center has become one of the most visited cultural and scientific venues in the region, welcoming up to 5,000 visitors daily. This demonstrates the high level of interest from both the citizens of Uzbekistan and international guests.

The awarding of the Guinness World Records title is not only a recognition of the project's scale but also a high tribute to the labor of hundreds of specialists, scientists, and experts who participated in its realization.

Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Director of the Center of Islamic Civilization, noted:

“Undoubtedly, this award is a well-deserved honor and a rightful recognition of the original project of the esteemed President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The esteemed President has created all the necessary conditions for our activities, and today our primary goal is to effectively utilize this potential for the realization of large-scale scientific and educational projects aimed at preserving and popularizing the rich cultural heritage of Uzbekistan, as well as promoting the humane ideas of our sacred religion of Islam as a religion of goodness, peace, enlightenment and tolerance.”

Obtaining the Guinness World Records status strengthens Uzbekistan's role as a key tourist and historical center of Islamic science, culture, and education. It also confirms the Center's significance as a modern platform for the dialogue of civilizations, based on the principles of mutual respect, tolerance and cultural diversity.

Source: Press Service of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan

21-23 November, 2024 Tashkent, Uzbekistan – The Central Asian Expo International Exhibition Complex (CAEx) will become a center of attraction for travel enthusiasts and travel industry professionals from all over the world.

Tashkent International Tourism Fair (TITF) "Tourism on the silk road" – is a large scale event that gathers leading experts in the tourism sector from all over the world. It hosts presentations of tourism opportunities from dozens of countries, meetings and business negotiations of hundreds of professionals, as well as international conferences on key issues of tourism development.

Since 1995, TITF, supported by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), has become an important event in the world tourism calendar and takes place annually in the capital of Uzbekistan.

This year the fair will please the participants:

• Presentations of the tourism opportunities of dozens of countries: Discover new destinations, get acquainted with unique cultures and create unforgettable travel routes.
• Meetings and business negotiations: Establish useful contacts, find new partners and implement promising projects in the field of tourism.
• International conferences: Discuss current issues of industry development, promising trends and innovative solutions.

Last year's fair was marked by the signing of more than 8 thousand agreements and the holding of more than 20 thousand negotiations between representatives of the tourism industry. Impressive figures, indicating the importance of TITF as a catalyst for the development of tourism.

Participation in the Tashkent International Tourism Fair (TITF) "Tourism on the silk road" provides many advantages for both tourism industry professionals and travel enthusiasts:

• Conducting business transactions

• Search for new partners

• Support for industry development

• Popularization of tourism products

• Familiarization with new trends

• Conducting marketing research

Join the Tashkent International Tourism Fair (TITF) "Tourism on the silk road" and book stands to develop your brand in the world of tourism!

Additional information:

Website: www.titf.uz

Instagram: titf_uz

Contact: +998 55 515 05 66

E-mail: titf@nationalprcentre.com

Starting April 1, 2026, a value-added tax refund (Tax Free) system for foreign citizens has been launched at all international airports in Uzbekistan.

The new system allows tourists to receive VAT refunds on goods purchased within the country. Refunds can be issued either in cash or transferred to a bank card. If a cashless method is chosen, the funds are credited within up to 3 business days after the goods are exported.

The minimum purchase amount eligible for a refund is 300,000 UZS (including VAT). Foreign citizens are refunded 85% of the VAT amount, while the remaining 15% is allocated to cover the services of the Tax Free system operator.

The previously limited list of goods eligible for Tax Free (with the exception of food products) has been abolished.

It is expected that the introduction of Tax Free will increase the country’s attractiveness for foreign tourists, contribute to the growth of retail trade, and support further development of the tourism sector.

In the future, the system is planned to be expanded in stages — in addition to airports, it will be introduced at railway stations and border customs checkpoints, as well as extended to a wider range of retail outlets, including the broader retail sector.

Special attention is being paid to digitalization: to simplify refund procedures, active use of modern information technologies and mobile solutions is planned.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17nMg1wYgHffU-lzB_rVNniVP1oKq1hE2?usp=sharing

Dunyo IA

By the end of 2025, Uzbekistan is demonstrating strong and dynamic growth in its tourism sector. Nearly 12 million foreign tourists visited the country, marking a 16% increase compared to the previous year.

Tourism service exports exceeded USD 4.8 billion, confirming the growing international interest in Uzbekistan and strengthening its position as one of the most promising tourist destinations in the region.

These results have been achieved through consistent reforms in the tourism sector aimed at improving infrastructure, enhancing transport accessibility, digitalizing services, and creating favorable conditions for travelers. The country is actively implementing projects focused on developing tourism clusters, improving service quality, and expanding international cooperation.

The Republic has introduced simplified entry procedures for foreign citizens. Currently, visa-free entry is granted to citizens of 94 countries, an electronic visa system is available for 52 countries, and a five-day visa-free transit regime applies to 45 countries.

Against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical instability in certain regions of the world, including mass protests and demonstrations in some countries, the importance of safety and comfort for tourists is becoming increasingly significant.

In this context, Uzbekistan maintains its status as a stable, safe, and hospitable country, open to all visitors regardless of nationality or religion. Traditions of respect, tolerance, and genuine hospitality are an integral part of Uzbek culture.

International rankings confirm the high level of safety in Uzbekistan. In recent years, the country has consistently ranked among the leading nations in global safety indices. In particular, according to the “International SOS Risk Map,” Uzbekistan is classified as a “Low Risk” destination, placing it alongside several European countries in terms of overall safety.

According to the “Numbeo Safety Index,” Uzbekistan ranks 25th out of 148 countries worldwide, demonstrating a consistently low level of crime. Furthermore, in the “Solo Female Travel Safety Index” and the “Safety Perceptions Index,” Uzbekistan ranks 1st globally, achieving one of the highest safety scores for solo female travelers. Additionally, in the “Gallup Global Law and Order Index,” the country has also been among the global leaders in terms of public safety and trust in law enforcement. Taken together, these assessments contribute to a strong international image of Uzbekistan as a safe, stable, and comfortable destination for tourists.

Today, Uzbekistan offers visitors not only the rich cultural and historical heritage of the Great Silk Road but also modern infrastructure, comfortable conditions, and an atmosphere of openness.

Legal education occupies a central place in shaping the legal consciousness and legal culture of the population. Therefore, in all his speeches, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan pays serious attention to the importance of legal culture and the issue of its enhancement.

To this end, the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated January 9, 2019 "On radical improvement of the system of raising legal consciousness and legal culture in society" was adopted, in which the social and economic reforms being implemented in the country are defined as the main tasks of raising legal consciousness and legal culture in society, the formation of a system of consistent communication to the population of the content and essence of the social and economic reforms being carried out in our country, the legislative acts and state programs being adopted, strengthening the life of the population, strengthening the legal culture in the country, and the development of a system of legal education.

This decree establishes that the raising of legal awareness and legal culture in society must be organized systematically and coherently on the principle of the individual, the family, the makhalla, the educational institution, the organization and society. In order to raise the legal consciousness and culture of the population, according to the "Uzbekistan - 2030" strategy, the number of non-State general secondary education organizations should be increased to 1000, the proportion of students studying in non-State general education institutions should be increased to 1000, secondary education organizations should be increased threefold, the level of coverage of young people in higher education should be increased to at least 50%, and the number of lawyers should be increased to at least 2000.

Thanks to the independence in the formation of legal consciousness and culture of the population, the new legal thinking and high spiritual potential of our people found its expression as an ideological basis in our updated Constitution. Our Constitution has emerged, on the one hand, as a direct product of the legal system, legal ideology and culture, which is a high expression of public legal consciousness, and, on the other hand, as an important factor in the formation of legal consciousness, new thinking and culture of the population, their positive orientation and elevation.

In our updated Constitution, important attention has been paid to the issue of raising the legal consciousness and culture of our citizens. Since article 50 of the Constitution provides that everyone has the right to education, that the State ensures the development of the system of continuing education, its various types and forms, and State and non-State educational organizations, that the State creates conditions for the development of preschool education and upbringing, guarantees free general secondary education and primary vocational education, that general secondary education is compulsory, that preschool education and upbringing, article 51 of the Constitution provides that preschool education and upbringing are compulsory, and that preschool education and upbringing are compulsory.

There is currently a need to overcome the legal illiteracy found in our society, to foster respect for the law and to achieve intolerance of corruption. An important component of all the work on withering the amateurism, the root of legal illiteracy is legal education of citizens. Legal education is not a simple aggregate of knowledge of law in a person and formal knowledge of legal issues, but a conscious assimilation of the basic provisions of the law, transformation of the acquired knowledge into personal trust, strict observance of the law, the subsequent transformation of its fulfillment into an internal need and habit.

A great role in legal education is played by fiction, mass media, television, radio and the press. The education of legal consciousness is an integral part of the cultural life of society as a whole and of the social function of the State. The main areas of education for legal awareness are legal training, carried out in the course of educational work, the promotion of legal knowledge through the mass media, wall newspapers, lectures, round tables, meetings, oral propaganda, theme evenings, and coercion to fulfill legal requirements.

Educational work raises the individual legal consciousness of a person to the understanding of the most general legal principles and requirements that are in the interests of the whole society and the state.
The task of raising free, educated and competent professional personnel who know their law, who rely on their own strengths and capabilities, who approach events around them independently and consciously, and who consider their personal interests in harmony with the interests of the country and the people, is one of the most pressing issues in the establishment of the New Uzbekistan.

It is necessary that every professional should be well aware of the legal acts of his/her branch and profession and be able to defend them. Therefore, equipping professional staff with legal consciousness, legal culture and legal knowledge is one of the main tasks of a country building a democratic State based on the rule of law. As long as every member of society does not know and realize his rights, duties and responsibilities, does not consider them as his vital need, our ultimate goal will be meaningless.

Legal culture is a qualitative application of law in the life of society. It is a kind of barometer in the use of legal opportunities in solving everyday problems and issues, in meeting the needs of the people. Legal culture as a component of the general culture of society provides conscious management of society, implementation of program tasks set before us, concerted activity of people to form the foundations of civil society with full awareness of the fundamental nature of social and political reforms carried out in our country.

Therefore, the current state of development of society requires a comprehensive improvement of legal culture, legal literacy of all participants of legal relations. Legal culture as a complex of legal knowledge, legal needs and isochoric practical activity serves to ensure the successful solution of the tasks facing society and the state.

One of the most important components of all the work to eradicate ego, legal illiteracy, loss of interest in themselves and others and indifference is the improvement of legal education of citizens. Legal education is not just a set of knowledge of law in a person and formal knowledge of legal issues, but a conscious assimilation of the basic provisions of the law, the transformation of acquired knowledge into personal trust, strict compliance with the law, the subsequent transformation of its implementation into an internal need and habit, the formation of legal activity of citizens.

A great role in legal education is played by fiction, mass media, television, radio and the press. Education of legal consciousness is an integral part of the cultural life of the whole society and the social function of the state. The main areas of education of citizens' legal consciousness are legal education of citizens in the course of educational work, propaganda of legal knowledge through the mass media, wall newspapers, lectures, round tables, meetings, oral propaganda, theme evenings, and coercion to fulfill legal requirements.

Further expansion of the scope of legal knowledge training in general education schools and academic lycées, the preparation of manuals in the form of questions and answers on legal issues frequently encountered in the daily life of the population and their free distribution to the public are of great importance in the development of the public's legal awareness and culture.

According to the Statistics Agency under the President of Uzbekistan, the number of general education establishments has increased by 660 over the past five years, and by the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year the number of operating general education establishments will total 10,750.

The number of non-state general education organizations is also increasing. According to the statistical department, by the beginning of the 2023/24 school year, the number of operating non-state general education organizations in Uzbekistan amounted to 293. Compared to the beginning of the 2018/2019 academic year, this indicator increased by 235.

Door-to-door promotion of legal solutions to issues frequently encountered in everyday life and the essence of newly adopted legislative acts plays an important role in raising the legal awareness and culture of the population, as well as free distribution of leaflets, booklets and other handouts to families aimed at conveying legal information, holding regular legal propaganda events among young people and parents on the age of marriage, conditions of alimony payment, incest and its legal consequences, discussion in the neighborhoods of the various

In addition, to review and organize the teaching of special courses" "study of the Constitution" and "study of human rights" in terms of systematic instruction in all types of education, to create a system of new-generation legal textbooks and teaching aids, including teaching aids for elementary school pupils in general education schools aimed at simple and visual instruction in legal knowledge, to organize and conduct national competitions in legal studies among pupils and students of educational establishments

There are currently 2,140 media outlets operating in our country, an increase of 626 from 2016. The fact that 65 percent of them are non-state media indicates that structural changes are consistently taking place in this sphere. It should be noted that along with traditional publications, online publications are rapidly developing, their number has reached 745, and they are attracting more and more readers.

The mass media of our country are boldly entering the international information space. The programs of the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan and a number of private television studios are broadcast in more than 100 countries. Uzbekistan's national news agency, the Dunyo news agency, disseminates its news in 10 foreign languages.

It should be further recognized that the workers of the publishing and printing industry make a worthy contribution to the noble cause of popularizing reading in our country. The fact that 132 million copies of books on art and other literature have been published by the republic's publishing houses in recent years undoubtedly plays an important role in raising the consciousness of our book-loving people, first of all our youth.

Strengthening the role of the mass media in ensuring public control in raising the legal awareness and culture of the population, strengthening their links with government bodies and civil society institutions, training, retraining and professional development of teachers, expanding the scope of master's and doctoral theses on raising legal culture, with special attention paid to a comprehensive study of conflicts and violence in the family and their socio-legal consequences.

Thus, in order to increase the effectiveness of work on raising legal consciousness and culture of the population, to further improve their legal knowledge, to create in all higher educational institutions of our country departments of law, to establish in this department excellent teaching of such disciplines as law, constitutional law, human rights, to systematically organize on TV and radio channels a series of programs and broadcasts on human rights, as well as it is advisable to create in all pedagogical universities of our country the faculty of law and to train at it a legal expert.



Muhammadi Usmanov,

Professor of the University of Public Security

Professor of the University of Public Security of the Republic of Uzbekistan,

Doctor of Law

In Uzbekistan, the formation and improvement of the legal culture of the population have become priorities of state policy. Strengthening the legal culture plays a key role in ensuring the rule of law, respecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, as well as achieving the economic and social progress of the country.

The primary sources of legal regulation of issues of improving the legal culture of the broad masses of the country's population are the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On the dissemination of legal information and ensuring access to it” and “On the provision of legal assistance at the expense of the state”. In accordance with the first of these regulatory acts, to increase the legal literacy of citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the concepts of legal information and access to legal information are defined for the first time at the legislative level. Consequently, from now on, following the provisions of article 3 of the law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On the dissemination of legal information and ensuring access to it”, legal information should be understood as the texts of regulatory legal acts, official interpretations to them, explanations on the procedure for applying regulatory legal acts, decisions of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan, decisions of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the application of legislation, as well as materials summarizing judicial practice, at the same time, access to legal information should be understood as the opportunity to freely obtain legal information and an ability to use it.

Furthermore, it is necessary to emphasize that following and thanks to the adoption of the law of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated February 27, “On the provision of legal assistance at the expense of the state”, low-income citizens of the country now have got a unique right to receive legal assistance at the expense of the state.

In turn, the adoption of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On radical improvement of the system for increasing legal awareness and legal culture in society” made it possible to determine the main tasks of increasing legal awareness and legal culture in society. It is important to specifically point out that strategic ideas in the form of establishing a spirit of respect for laws in society - the key to building a democratic rule of law state and maintaining a balance of personal and public interests were identified as a priority in the field of improving the legal culture in society.

A particularly significant and large legal basis for accelerating work in this direction also became the decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated May 4, 2018 “On measures to radically increase the role of civil society institutions in the process of democratic renewal of the country” and the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated 14 November 2018 “On measures to establish a badge “for contribution to the development of civil society.” In particular, if the first act of the head of state established an incentive badge “for contribution to the development of civil society”, which is awarded on the eve of the Constitution Day of the Republic of Uzbekistan, then the second legal act established that the badge “For contribution to the development of civil society” is awarded to representatives of non-governmental non-profit organizations and other civil society institutions, as well as proactive citizens who take an active part in reforms carried out in all spheres of society and have made a worthy contribution to the formation and development of a free civil society in the country, the protection of human rights and legitimate interests, and democratic values, increasing the political culture and legal consciousness of the population and strengthening social partnership relations among non-governmental non-profit organizations.

The latest novelty in the legislative strengthening of increasing legal awareness and legal culture of the population is the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated May 24 of this year “On further increasing the responsibility and forming a compact management system of justice bodies and institutions within the framework of administrative reforms”, which once more defines further work to increase legal awareness and legal culture. For example, this decree establishes that to increase the legal awareness and legal culture of the population, the “Lawyer of Makhalla” project is being implemented in citizens’ self-government bodies, within the framework of which short-term free training courses will be organized aimed at continuously improving the legal knowledge and skills of chairmen of citizens’ self-government bodies, and in schools, starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the subject Olympiad “Expert in Law” will be held, while each Wednesday of the week is designated as “Day of Legal Propaganda”.

Undoubtedly, all political and legal reforms aimed at increasing the legal culture of the population and to develop the country are meant to build a legal state and civil society in the Republic of Uzbekistan. In this regard, the implementation of the idea of “The future of the country lies with law-abiding youth who are intolerant of crime” contributes to the achieving of the goals and objectives of state policy in the field of involving the broad masses of citizens, government bodies and institutions into the process of increasing the legal literacy of the population.

Nasimbek Azizov – Head of the Department of the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan;

Diyorbek Ibragimov - Senior Lecturer at the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan;

Odiljon Nematillaev – Lecturer at the Law Enforcement Academy of

the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Central Asia continues to strengthen its position as one of the world's most promising tourism destinations, attracting an increasing number of travelers thanks to its rich historical and cultural heritage, unique natural landscapes, and expanding regional cooperation. Uzbekistan plays a key role in this process by consistently implementing large-scale tourism reforms, improving tourism infrastructure, and actively promoting the country's tourism potential on the international stage. During the first half of 2026, Uzbekistan welcomed more than 6.5 million foreign visitors for tourism purposes, nearly 25% more than during the same period last year. In May and June alone, the country received over 2.5 million international tourists, confirming the steady growth of global interest in Uzbekistan's tourism offerings.

Kyrgyzstan remains one of Uzbekistan's key regional partners. During the first six months of 2026, tourist arrivals from Kyrgyzstan continued to grow steadily, reflecting the strong tourism ties between the two countries and the progressive development of bilateral cooperation.

The growth in mutual tourist exchanges is the result of systematic efforts to expand cooperation in the tourism sector. Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan continue to strengthen their partnership through intergovernmental agreements and joint programs. Their cooperation covers a broad range of areas, including the promotion of joint tourism routes, participation in international tourism events, the organization of familiarization tours, the exchange of expertise, and the implementation of joint tourism development initiatives.

New opportunities for expanding bilateral cooperation have emerged following the proposal by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to establish the Central Asia Tourism Ring. The initiative was announced in May 2026 during the Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank. It aims to create an integrated tourism space across Central Asia and provide additional opportunities for promoting multi-country travel routes, making the region even more attractive to visitors from third countries.

Today, cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan extends well beyond the traditional exchange of tourists. Both countries are focusing on developing integrated tourism products primarily designed for travelers from third countries. Their shared historical and cultural heritage provides a strong foundation for creating itineraries that combine Silk Road landmarks, cultural attractions, and natural destinations across both Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The two countries are already jointly promoting such routes as "Journey Along the Silk Road" and "Journey Through the Natural Attractions of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan," while also developing other collaborative tourism initiatives.

International tourism exhibitions, forums, and industry events remain important platforms for strengthening bilateral cooperation. Kyrgyzstan is one of the regular participants in the Tashkent International Tourism Fair "Tourism on the Silk Road," while representatives of the tourism authorities of both countries regularly meet during events organized under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. These meetings focus on increasing tourist flows, improving transport connectivity, promoting joint tourism routes, and expanding cooperation between tourism organizations.

In recent years, the two countries have organized reciprocal familiarization trips for tour operators, media tours, presentations showcasing the tourism potential of their regions, and joint educational programs. These initiatives facilitate the exchange of professional expertise, strengthen direct contacts between tourism industry representatives, and create new opportunities for promoting the tourism potential of both countries.

Among the most promising areas for future cooperation are the development of cross-border tourism, further improvement of border-crossing procedures, the promotion of new joint tourism routes, and closer collaboration within the concept of Central Asia as a single tourism destination. The implementation of these initiatives will create additional opportunities to increase mutual tourist flows and attract more international visitors from third-country markets.

The continued expansion of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan demonstrates the strong potential of their tourism partnership. Growing tourist exchanges, the development of joint projects, and the implementation of new regional initiatives are laying a solid foundation for further strengthening tourism ties, enhancing Central Asia's competitiveness in the global tourism market, and promoting the region as an attractive destination for international travelers.

According to the Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research 2026 report published by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Central Asia was the world's fastest-growing tourism region in 2025.

WTTC conducts its annual research by dividing the world into 13 major regions. Based on the 2025 results, Central Asia ranked first globally across several key tourism performance indicators. Uzbekistan emerged as the regional leader, recording the strongest performance among the Central Asian countries across all of these indicators.

According to the report, the total contribution of travel and tourism to Central Asia's gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 17.7% in 2025, while the sector's direct contribution to GDP grew by 19.6%. Visitor exports reached $9.9 billion, representing a 26.4% increase compared to the previous year. Central Asia ranked first in the world in terms of growth in visitor exports. Nearly half of the region's total visitor exports came from Uzbekistan, which generated $4.8 billion in tourism exports in 2025.

According to WTTC data for 2025, Uzbekistan was the most popular travel destination for residents of Central Asia.

Report notes that Uzbekistan's leading position is driven by its rich historical and cultural heritage and its strong appeal to travellers from across the region. “Overall, these figures confirm the regional nature of tourism: residents of Central Asia travel within their own region more frequently than anywhere else”, the report states.

In addition, WTTC highlights the significant potential for creating a unified tourism space across Central Asia. According to the organization's experts, simplifying border procedures, expanding air connectivity and transport infrastructure, developing joint tourism routes, and promoting Central Asia as a single tourism destination will help attract more international visitors from other regions of the world.

According to the report, 64.3% of all tourism spending in Central Asia in 2025 came from international visitors, while 35.7% was generated by domestic tourism within the region. Among international visitor spending, 84.5% was related to leisure travel and 15.5% to business travel.

WTTC forecasts that by 2036, the total contribution of the travel and tourism sector to Central Asia's economy will reach $29.7 billion.

1. Uzbekistan is One of the Safest Countries in the World

Uzbekistan ranked 1st out of 121 countries in the international Safety Perception Index 2023 published by Numbeo and was recognized as one of the safest countries in the world.

Sources:
— Safety Perception Index 2023 (Numbeo);
— Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the Federal Republic of Germany: https://www.uzbekistan.de/frontend/web/news/228?language=en

2. Tourist Safety Assurance System

In order to create a comfortable and secure travel environment for foreign visitors, Uzbekistan has established the Tourist Police and specialized Tourism Safety Units. This system is designed to provide tourists with prompt assistance, protect their rights, and ensure a safe travel experience.

Sources:
— Uzbekistan.travel — Tourist Police: https://uzbekistan.travel/en/o/tourist-police/
— Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. PF-4861 (State policy on ensuring the safety of tourists).

3. UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Uzbekistan is home to unique cultural heritage sites located in the historic cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva (Itchan Kala), and Shakhrisabz, all of which are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Sources:
— UNESCO World Heritage Centre: https://whc.unesco.org
— UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Uzbekistan: https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/uz

4. Historical and Cultural Center of the Great Silk Road

Located at the heart of the Great Silk Road, Uzbekistan has for centuries served as a major historical, cultural, and trade hub connecting the civilizations of the East and the West.

Source:
— UNESCO Silk Roads Programme: https://en.unesco.org/silkroad

5. Modern Transport and Tourism Infrastructure

In recent years, Uzbekistan has consistently developed its hotels, international airports, railway network, and road transport infrastructure.

A modern logistics and transport system has been established to facilitate travel between the country's major tourist destinations.

Sources:
— Government Portal of the Republic of Uzbekistan – Tourism: https://gov.uz/en/activity-page/tourism
— Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan: https://gov.uz/oz/mintrans

6. Liberalization of the Visa Regime

Uzbekistan has introduced visa-free and simplified entry procedures for foreign nationals, significantly expanding opportunities for international visitors to travel to the country.

Sources:
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan: https://mfa.uz
— Government Portal of the Republic of Uzbekistan: https://gov.uz

7. Comprehensive Reforms in the Tourism Sector

Uzbekistan is implementing consistent reforms aimed at developing tourism as one of the country's strategic sectors of the economy. In particular, Presidential decrees and resolutions have been adopted to expand tourism services, increase the number of foreign visitors, attract investment, and develop infrastructure in accordance with international standards.

Sources:
— List of Decrees and Resolutions of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan: https://gov.uz/en/uzbektourism/pages/o'zbekiston-respublikasi-prezidentining-farmonlari-va-qarorlari
— Tourism and Culture – Government Portal: https://gov.uz/en/activity-page/tourism

8. Diversity of Tourism Destinations

Uzbekistan offers a wide variety of tourism experiences, including pilgrimage, cultural, gastronomic, ecotourism, mountain, adventure, and many other forms of tourism, providing extensive opportunities for both domestic and international travelers throughout the year.

Sources:
— Government Portal of the Republic of Uzbekistan: https://gov.uz/en/pages/tourism-type
— Official Tourism Portal "Uzbekistan.travel": https://uzbekistan.travel

On 20 November of the current year, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan adopted Resolution No. PQ-350 entitled “On the Establishment and Organization of the Activities of the Samarkand Campus of the International Tourism Academy under the Auspices of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism)”.

In accordance with the Resolution, the following key performance objectives have been defined for the activities of the Samarkand Campus of the International Tourism Academy (hereinafter referred to as the Academy), established under the auspices of the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations, including:

• establishing cooperation with one of the world’s top-10 ranked educational institutions and launching the training of highly qualified specialists;

• organizing professional development courses of up to one month and retraining programs of up to eight months.

The Academy shall operate within the structure of the “Silk Road” International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage. Educational activities at the Academy shall be carried out in accordance with the education formats applicable in the Republic of Uzbekistan and shall be conducted in Uzbek, Russian, and English.

Starting from 1 December 2025:

• specialists of tourism sector entities shall undergo retraining and professional development on a contractual basis;

• annually, 100 talented specialists from member states of the World Tourism Organization shall be awarded special grants to pursue retraining and professional development programs at the Academy.

In recent years, the development of regional cooperation has become one of the key drivers of sustainable growth in the global tourism industry. An increasing number of travelers are choosing to explore entire regions rather than individual countries, attracted by their shared history, cultural heritage, and convenient transport connectivity. As a result, the development of cross-border tourism routes and the joint promotion of tourism products are now widely recognized as effective tools for enhancing international competitiveness.

Central Asia possesses unique advantages for creating such an integrated tourism space. The historic cities of the Great Silk Road, rich cultural heritage, diverse natural landscapes, and centuries-old traditions provide exceptional opportunities for developing virtually every modern form of tourism—from cultural and heritage tourism and pilgrimage tourism to gastronomic, ethnographic, ecotourism, adventure, and medical tourism.

One of the most significant initiatives in this area was proposed by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who put forward the idea of establishing the "Central Asia Tourism Ring"—a unified tourism area bringing together the countries of the region. The initiative was presented in May 2026 during the Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank.

Presenting the initiative, the President emphasized that amid growing global uncertainty, millions of travelers are increasingly choosing safe destinations, while Central Asia possesses enormous potential for the development of diverse tourism segments. Owing to comprehensive reforms in tourism infrastructure, improvements in service quality, visa and transport policies, and enhanced traveler safety, the number of foreign visitors to Uzbekistan has increased sixfold over the past decade. In 2025 alone, the country welcomed 11.7 million international visitors.

The development of the Central Asia Tourism Ring extends cooperation beyond the boundaries of the region itself. On the contrary, it creates new opportunities for collaboration with countries historically connected to Central Asia through the routes of the Great Silk Road. One of the most successful examples of such cooperation is the tourism partnership between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

Bilateral cooperation in tourism is built upon a solid foundation. An intergovernmental agreement on cooperation was signed as early as 1996. Over the years, the two countries have significantly expanded their legal and institutional framework for cooperation, including the adoption of the 2024–2026 Tourism Action Plan between the Tourism Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

A new impetus to bilateral cooperation was given on 4 April 2025, when the National PR Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Azerbaijan Tourism Board signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Samarkand. The document provides for the implementation of the Joint Silk Road Highlights Tour project, aimed at jointly promoting tourism routes along the Great Silk Road in international markets.

The concept of the project is based on combining the tourism potential of the two countries into a single travel experience. The itinerary includes the historic cities of Baku, Shamakhi, Sheki, Khiva, Bukhara, and Samarkand, enabling international visitors to discover the rich cultural heritage of several major centers of the Great Silk Road within a single journey. Particular emphasis is placed on the joint promotion of tourism routes through webinars, roadshows, B2B meetings, and presentations for representatives of the international tourism industry.

A practical embodiment of this initiative was the joint Highlights of the Silk Road roadshow held in October 2025. The promotional campaign covered Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Spain. During the roadshow, tourism companies from Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan presented their tourism offerings to European partners, conducted a series of B2B meetings, and discussed opportunities for developing combined tour packages and expanding bilateral cooperation. The business programme was complemented by cultural events showcasing the rich traditions and cultural heritage of both countries.

The effectiveness of these joint efforts is also reflected in tourism statistics. During the period from January to May 2026, the number of Azerbaijani citizens visiting Uzbekistan increased by more than 80 percent compared with the corresponding period of the previous year. This strong growth demonstrates the increasing interest in Uzbekistan's tourism potential and the effectiveness of the two countries' joint promotional efforts.

Alongside the implementation of major joint projects, practical cooperation between the respective tourism authorities continues to expand. Representatives of the tourism administrations of both countries regularly participate in international tourism exhibitions, industry forums, and meetings of international organizations. They also conduct reciprocal official visits, organize familiarization tours for media representatives and tourism professionals, and implement joint cultural and gastronomic initiatives. This format of cooperation facilitates the exchange of expertise, strengthens the promotion of national tourism brands, and contributes to the development of new competitive tourism products.

Looking ahead, the two countries intend to further develop joint Silk Road tourism routes, expand professional exchange programmes for tourism specialists, strengthen cooperation in tourism education and capacity building, and intensify the joint promotion of their tourism potential in third-country markets.

Today, Uzbekistan's tourism policy is guided by the principles of openness, partnership, and regional connectivity. The initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to establish the Central Asia Tourism Ring creates new opportunities for developing modern multi-destination tourism routes, while the successful implementation of joint projects with Azerbaijan demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated efforts to promote the shared heritage of the Great Silk Road. The consistent expansion of such cooperation contributes to enhancing Uzbekistan's tourism appeal, strengthening international partnerships, and creating new opportunities for the sustainable development of the tourism industry.