Uzbekistan welcomes 10.3 million tourists in the first nine months
Baku, October 13, AZERTAC
Uzbekistan continues to strengthen its standing as an international tourist destination, drawing more travelers from around the world. Its rich historical heritage, distinctive culture, traditional hospitality, and growing appeal to visitors are reflected in the latest figures: 10.3 million foreign tourists visited the country between January and September 2026, Uza reported.
According to the Tourism Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, arrivals rose 20.4 percent compared with the same period last year. This growth reflects growing interest in Uzbekistan and its appeal to visitors worldwide. Tourist arrivals continue to rise both across the nine months and month by month. In September alone, the country welcomed 1.2 million foreign tourists, underscoring sustained interest in Uzbekistan as a travel destination.
The geographic diversity of tourist arrivals has also expanded significantly. The highest growth was recorded among visitors from China, whose numbers increased 2.1-fold. Malaysia saw a similar increase, with arrivals rising 1.9-fold, followed by Egypt and Romania, both recording 1.8-fold growth. Tourist arrivals from Indonesia also increased substantially, rising 1.7-fold, while arrivals from Japan grew 1.5-fold, the United States 1.4-fold and Russia 1.3-fold.
The positive trend also extended to several European countries and Türkiye. During the period under review, tourist arrivals from Germany and the United Kingdom increased by 25 percent, from France by 21 percent and from Türkiye by 15 percent. These figures indicate that interest in Uzbekistan is growing both in its traditional source markets and in emerging markets showing increasingly strong growth.
Alongside the increase in foreign tourist arrivals, the tourism sector’s economic performance has also improved. From January to September 2026, exports of tourism services reached $5.3 billion, up 51.2 percent from the same period in 2025, significantly outpacing growth in tourist arrivals.
This substantial increase highlights tourism’s growing role in the national economy and its potential as a key area for services-sector development. Rising tourist arrivals, coupled with growth in tourism service exports, reflect not only the expansion of international ties but also Uzbekistan’s increasing prominence on the global tourism map.
The results for the first nine months of 2026 show that Uzbekistan continues to attract an increasingly diverse range of international travelers. The broadening geographic reach of tourist arrivals and rising revenue from tourism services are laying the foundation for the sector’s further development, strengthening international interest in the country and helping unlock its rich tourism potential.
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