The announcement came on the second day of the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.

Speaking to Aviation Business ahead of the launch, Planet Group chief operating officer for travel Ibrahim Nalkhande said Uzbekistan is becoming an increasingly popular destination due to its close proximity and competitive prices.

“It is an all-season destination and as people from the Gulf still have the inclination and resources to travel, it is a good opportunity for Uzbekistan to market itself as a destination.” Nalkhande said.

Uzbekistan Airways CEO Sabirov Rakhimberdi said there were plans to increase the number of flights to Uzbekistan from the UAE.

“Even as we are expecting to increase the number of tourists from the UAE and the region we will be looking into increasing our flights.

“Presently we have two flights each week from Dubai and Sharjah,” Rakhimberdi said.

At present, the airline has a network of sales offices in the UAE but its CEO revealed the airline is entering into business partnerships with travel agents beyond the UAE.

“Overall, Uzbekistan has never been explored from the Gulf region,” Rakhimberdi added.