A tourism-focused roadshow organised by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in New Delhi on Tuesday witnessed strong participation from the Indian travel trade, with leading stakeholders discussing enhanced air connectivity, cultural tourism and outbound opportunities to the Central Asian nation.
Representatives from Uzbekistan Airways and Centrum Air, along with destination management companies (DMCs) from Uzbekistan, interacted with Indian tour operators, travel agents and MICE planners during the event held at the Embassy of Uzbekistan.
Addressing the gathering, H.E. Mr. Sardor Mirzayusupovich Rustambaev, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to India, highlighted Uzbekistan’s growing importance as a tourism and connectivity hub in Central Asia. He underlined the country’s rich cultural heritage, modern tourism infrastructure and liberal visa policies aimed at attracting international travellers, including from India.
The Ambassador said Uzbekistan’s globally renowned heritage cities such as Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva continue to attract international tourists with their UNESCO-recognised monuments, mosques, madrasas and traditional craft centres.
He noted that the country has significantly expanded its hospitality infrastructure in 2025, adding more than 60 new hotels, 300 family guest houses and 150 hostels, creating over 20,000 additional beds. Uzbekistan now has more than 7,000 accommodation facilities with a total capacity exceeding 200,000 beds.
The envoy also emphasised Uzbekistan’s collaboration with major global hospitality brands including Hilton, InterContinental, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and JW Marriott to strengthen tourism infrastructure and elevate service standards.
Highlighting the country’s travel-friendly policies, the Ambassador stated that Uzbekistan currently offers visa-free entry to citizens of around 95 countries, while travellers from 56 countries, including India, can avail electronic visas. He added that Uzbekistan Airways continues to play a major role in strengthening international connectivity and tourism flows.
Indian travel trade representatives showed keen interest in promoting Uzbekistan as a leisure, heritage, wedding and MICE destination. Discussions during the roadshow also focused on increasing group movements from India, developing customised itineraries and enhancing bilateral tourism cooperation between the two countries.
The Ambassador further shared details of Uzbekistan’s long-term “Tourism 2040 Strategy”, which focuses on sustainable tourism development, eco-friendly travel, digital transformation and infrastructure expansion. He said the country is also collaborating with international media platforms such as CNN, BBC, National Geographic and Discovery to strengthen its global tourism positioning.
