By Ms. Munisa Asilkhodjaeva, Tourism Committee, Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan
In recent years, relations between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the United States of America in the field of tourism have reached a qualitatively new level. The foundation of this cooperation lies in the systematic efforts of the Tourism Committee to implement the provisions of the “Road Maps” aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, expanding tourism exchanges, and attracting American investment into the sector.
The period of 2018–2019 became a turning point in enhancing the tourism dialogue between the two countries. Uzbekistan welcomed experts from the International Association of Tourism Professionals led by H. Luis Lorenzo Gutierrez, representatives of “PBS” and “ABC” television channels, as well as a delegation from the Congress of Bukharian Jews of the USA and Canada. During the same period, the Tourism Committee organized a series of visits by well-known American bloggers Mark Wiens and Sonny Side, thanks to which millions of viewers around the world were introduced to Uzbekistan’s gastronomic and cultural richness.
An important step was the introduction of American online booking services — Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, and Tripadvisor. By the end of 2018, 886 hotels across the country had been connected to these platforms, significantly improving Uzbekistan’s accessibility for American travelers.
Since 2019, special attention has been paid to promoting Uzbekistan’s tourism potential through U.S. media and digital platforms. Within the framework of the “World Influencers Congress 2019” forum, more than 20 leading American bloggers arrived in Tashkent, including the “Devin Super Tramp” team, which filmed a short movie titled “Aladdin” in Bukhara and Khiva. These projects not only enhanced Uzbekistan’s visibility on global social media but also helped build its image as a safe and welcoming destination.
Cooperation in professional training also developed in parallel. Edward Castley, Vice President of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), conducted master classes for university and college instructors, sharing U.S. best practices in training tourism industry professionals.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, an online conference was held with the assistance of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington, D.C.,
bringing together leading American travel companies — ASTA, Intrepid Travel, G Adventures, and others. The participants discussed measures to restore tourist flows and improve traveler safety. In subsequent years, American media outlets such as The New York Times, National Geographic, and Foreign Policy became increasingly active in covering the country’s tourism potential.
Joint media collaborations, including Mystery Box’s 2021 production and CNN’s 2023 documentary The Spirit of Samarkand, have been instrumental in highlighting the cultural heritage and contemporary life of Uzbekistan’s historic cities.
In recent years, Uzbekistan–U.S. cooperation in tourism has acquired strategic importance. In 2024, Chairman of the Tourism Committee Umid Shadiev met with U.S. Ambassador Jonathan Henick to discuss prospects for developing green tourism and workforce training. The participation of the Uzbek delegation in prestigious exhibitions — Miami World Travel Expo 2024 and New York Travel and Adventure Show 2025 — opened new opportunities for promoting the country’s tourism brand. Notably, Uzbekistan was recognized as the “Best New Exhibitor” at the New York event.
The dynamics of tourist arrivals from the United States clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation. From 2018 to 2024, the number of American tourists visiting Uzbekistan tripled, reflecting the growing interest in the country’s cultural and historical heritage, hospitality, and sustainable tourism infrastructure.
The cooperation between Uzbekistan and the United States in the field of tourism has become an important factor in strengthening mutual understanding between the two peoples, expanding cultural exchange, and attracting investment into the national economy. Year by year, Uzbekistan confidently establishes itself as a modern, open, and dynamically developing tourist destination on the world map.
