Visa-free entry for 90+ nations as Uzbekistan arrivals surge 37% in early 2026

Uzbekistan received 11.7 million international visitors in 2025, a record reported by the National Statistics Committee, and UN Tourism figures show international arrivals rose 37% in the first quarter of 2026 from a year earlier. That pace placed the country among the five fastest-growing tourism destinations worldwide.

For travellers, the surge comes alongside relaxed entry rules, new air and rail connections and expanding accommodation capacity.

Key facts

• 2025: 11.7 million international visitors, a record
• Q1 2026: international arrivals up 37% year on year
• January–July 2026: more than 7.7 million foreign visitors, up 22.6%
• Entry: citizens of more than 90 countries may enter visa-free for varying periods
• Samarkand airport: a record 1.5 million passengers in 2025, with 24 airlines serving 30 destinations

What are the entry rules?

Citizens of more than 90 countries may enter Uzbekistan without a visa for varying periods, the Tourism Committee said. Electronic visas (e-Visas) are available to eligible travellers from other markets. The source does not list which nationalities qualify for either option or how long stays may last.

A reciprocal 30-day visa-free arrangement with China has coincided with substantial growth in visitor numbers, according to Oybek Hakimov, an adviser to the Tourism Committee chairman on strategic planning and information analysis. He said the number of Chinese tourists had risen more than sixfold by the end of 2025 compared with 2023.

What is changing for travellers?

Officials attribute the growth to financial incentives, better transport links, relaxed entry rules and spending on visitor infrastructure. Over the first seven months of 2026, new facilities added more than 22,000 beds nationwide.

Samarkand International Airport has seen passenger traffic triple since 2022, helped by a new terminal and an open-skies policy, its commercial director Dmitry Martynenko said. The airport is building flights to China and pursuing routes into Southeast Asia, and has added automated baggage handling, digital passenger services and a capsule hotel.

On the railways, the new Jaloliddin Manguberdi train has cut the Tashkent–Khiva journey from 14 hours to seven and a half. Hikmatulla Rahmetov, First Deputy Chairman of Uzbekistan Railways, said high-speed service now reaches more than ten cities, with a planned dedicated high-speed passenger line between Tashkent and Samarkand designed for trains running at up to 300 km/h.

What is being done to attract visitors?

Under measures announced for the 2026 Open Tourism Season, airlines opening qualifying new routes were offered subsidies of EUR89 per foreign tourist brought into the country, plus a 20% reduction in airport service charges. Tour operators could receive as much as EUR4,460 for each 1,000 international visitors drawn from eligible overseas markets, with additional support covering qualifying charter flights and selected tourism start-ups.

The Tourism Committee is marketing the country through international exhibitions, roadshows and digital platforms. More than 50 tourism villages and neighbourhoods have been developed, along with new mountain resorts and regional attractions.

What this means for travellers

Travellers should check whether their nationality is on the visa-free list before booking, or whether they need to apply for an e-Visa. Growing visitor numbers and new transport links mean more flight and rail options, including a much shorter Tashkent–Khiva journey.

Uzbekistan's tourism development strategy for 2026–2030 targets 20 million international visitors a year, a 7% share of GDP from tourism and tourism services exports of $6 billion. In the first seven months of 2026, earnings from services supplied to international visitors came close to EUR3.5 billion, according to the Tourism Committee.