Uzbekistan Tourism has announced that it is charting out an ambitious tourism development plan driven by emerging tourism source markets like India. As part of the initiative, Uzbekistan Tourism Minister Umid Shadiev was recently in New Delhi, leading a delegation of prominent Uzbek tourism stakeholders to hold B2B meetings with Indian travel trade partners.

In a statement, Uzbekistan says that the country witnessed a robust three-fold growth in foreign tourist arrivals into the country in the last seven years with numbers growing from a mere 2.7 million in 2017 to 8.2 million in 2024. The Tourism Minister also highlighted that as part of its ‘Uzbekistan – 2030’ vision strategy, the country is keen to develop tourism, boost investment and create jobs.

“We had about 47,000 tourists from India in 2023. Last year, we had 80,000. It is almost a double increase in the number of tourists from India to Uzbekistan but at the same time, we feel this is not enough. So, by 2030, we are looking at the number of more than 200,000. That is our target,” Shadiev tells India Outbound.

“India has huge potential as a source market for Uzbekistan. But, it is not simply a numbers’ game, it is cultural relevance and shared values which make this such an attractive market for us. My target is to treble the number of Indian visitors to Uzbekistan by 2030,” said Shadiev while addressing the Indian and international trade buyers and tourism stakeholders.

“We will also organise roadshows to different Indian cities so that we can make sure that the country is promoted throughout the country, not just in Delhi. We are also meeting a lot of State Governments in India to discuss the ways to promote tourism flow between this region as well. Of course, we have a lot of bilateral meetings. As I said, they are not only with the government officials but also with the tour operators and tour associations which is very important. During these meetings, we are trying to promote the connections between the cities of Uzbekistan and the cities of India. This is very important for us,” Shadiev adds.

Shadiev also highlighted that presently Indian passport holders are eligible for an e-visa to travel to Uzbekistan. “I hope that in near future India is added to the list of countries which can visit Uzbekistan visa-free. And with the right support from airlines, the sky’s the limit! There is a huge, unmet demand for flights, so the Tourism Committee is actively encouraging new airlines to enter the Uzbekistan market. And I see tremendous scope to develop multiple new routes between our two countries,” he added.

During a press meet, Shadiev also highlighted the historical links between Uzbekistan and India that date back millennia. “We all know about the Silk Road, about Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Amir Timur. I should also mention Emperor Babur, who was born and raised in Uzbekistan’s Fergana Valley but made his name in India as the founder of the Mughal Dynasty. When I see your grand monuments like Humayun’s Tomb, I feel quite at home, as there was such continuity in the architectural style,” said Shadiev.

Besides highlighting Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage, Shadiev showcased Uzbekistan’s winter sports sector, with large modern ski resorts which are much more affordable than those in Europe, UNESCO sites and landscapes offering stunning backdrops for honeymoon photo shoots or film shootings, pristine and very large national parks, great outdoors, and unlimited adventure.

“We are confident that these products will appeal to multiple segments of the Indian outbound tourism market. Add in the short flight time and the cleanliness and safety of Uzbekistan, it is an ideal option for Indian couples, families, and groups of friends,” Shadiev added.