TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, May 15. Uzbekistan has recorded a several-fold increase in foreign tourist arrivals over the past decade, reaching 12 million visitors annually, Trend reports via the press service of the Uzbek President.
The statement was made by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during his address at the 59th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank Board of Governors held in Samarkand on May 4.
According to the President, tourism has been a key priority of recent reforms, with efforts focused on the development of infrastructure, improvement of service quality, and enhancement of visa and transport accessibility.
He added that particular attention has been given to ensuring the safety and security of visitors, which has contributed to steady growth in the sector.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan welcomed 2.8 million foreign visitors from 164 countries for tourism purposes in the period from January through March 2026, representing a 36.6% increase compared to the same period of the previous year.
According to the National Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan, neighboring countries accounted for the largest share of arrivals. The Kyrgyz Republic ranked first with 807,095 visitors, followed by Tajikistan with 713,904 and Kazakhstan with 681,921 tourists. Russia ranked fourth with 223,285 visitors, while Afghanistan recorded 120,184 arrivals.
