Uzbekistan Proposes Central Asia Tourism Ring Initiative

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has proposed the creation of a unified tourism space called the “Central Asia Tourism Ring” during the 59th meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank held in Samarkand. The initiative was presented as part of discussions on the region’s tourism development prospects.

The head of state noted that amid global instability, demand for safe tourist destinations is increasing. He said Central Asia has significant potential for developing various types of tourism, including pilgrimage, cultural, gastronomic, ethnographic, adventure and medical tourism.

In his remarks, he emphasized that Uzbekistan has placed strong focus in recent years on developing its tourism sector by improving infrastructure, service quality, transport accessibility, visa procedures and safety measures for visitors. As a result of these reforms, the number of foreign tourists visiting the country has increased sixfold over the past ten years, reaching 12 million.

The speech also highlighted the development of tourism infrastructure across the region, including new cultural and religious sites in Uzbekistan and neighboring countries. Among them were the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent and the Imam Bukhari memorial complex in Samarkand.

Against this backdrop, Mirziyoyev proposed forming a unified tourism space that would bring together Central Asian countries and called on partners, including the Asian Development Bank, to jointly develop and finance a portfolio of tourism projects.

The initiative is intended to enhance the region’s attractiveness and support the development of interconnected tourism infrastructure across Central Asia.