The Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Turkmenistan hosted a thematic briefing dedicated to expanding the tourism potential of the neighboring country and to joint activities in this direction. Ambassador Ravshanbek Alimov presented the modern achievements of Uzbekistan’s tourism industry and called on Turkmen tour operators to engage in active cooperation.
According to the head of the diplomatic mission, the cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Shakhrisabz — all included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites — are home to architectural monuments such as madrasas, mausoleums, caravanserais, and mosques that have become symbols of Eastern civilization.
“Today, Uzbekistan offers not only traditional historical and cultural routes but also new formats of travel that reveal the country from many different perspectives,” said R. Alimov.
Among them, the ambassador highlighted green and ecological tourism, which involves recreation in nature in harmony with the environment; cultural and ethnographic tourism for those interested in traditions and crafts; pilgrimage tourism, including visits to holy sites; adventure or extreme tourism for young travelers; and, deserving of special attention, gastronomic tourism.
In this context, the diplomat noted that since the beginning of 2025, Uzbekistan has been visited by 8.6 million foreign tourists. At present, the country welcomes around one million tourists per month.
Presenting these data, R. Alimov invited Turkmen travel companies and investors to participate in large-scale projects in Uzbekistan, where the state has created favorable conditions, including tax and customs incentives — in particular, for the construction of hotels, the creation of recreational areas, and the development of transport hubs.
As a priority area of cooperation, the head of the diplomatic mission also proposed the creation of a cross-border tourist route “Khiva – Kunya-Urgench – Ashgabat – Mary – Bukhara.” At the same time, he invited partners from Turkmenistan to take part in the Tashkent International Tourism Fair, scheduled for November 27–29.
In conclusion, the diplomat emphasized that relations between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are characterized by good neighborliness, mutual trust, and strategic partnership, in which the tourism sector serves as a driving force of development and an instrument for promoting people’s diplomacy.
