Uzbekistan expands tourism via cave development and new flight talks

Uzbekistan has launched a strategic initiative to expand its tourism sector through infrastructure development and enhanced international connectivity. The government has approved a plan to develop nine caves and a salt mine in the Jizzakh, Samarkand, Surkhandarya, and Kashkadarya regions by 2028. This program includes creating visitor routes, training local guides, and supporting the establishment of family guesthouses. Key sites include the Boybuloq cave and the Teshiktosh cave, which holds archaeological significance due to the 1938 discovery of Neanderthal remains. The completed infrastructure is expected to be operational by January 2029.

In tandem with domestic site development, the Uzbekistan Tourism Committee is in discussions with Air Arabia to improve international access to historic Silk Road destinations. The talks focus on potential direct flights to Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, as well as increasing flight frequencies on existing routes. These efforts aim to attract more visitors from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North Africa to the country’s UNESCO-listed cultural heritage sites.