Riding the wave of tourism growth, Uzbekistan and Belarus are expanding cooperation

Despite growing competition for tourist flows, international tourism is increasingly seen not only as an economic sector but also as an important tool for developing international cooperation. Today, the success of tourist destinations is determined not only by the number of visitors, but also by the ability of states to build sustainable partnerships, create new points of attraction, and effectively promote their potential in foreign markets.

Uzbekistan is one of the most vivid examples of such transformation. According to the latest data from the UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer, for the January–March 2026 period, the country ranked among the five states in the world with the highest rates of international tourism growth. The flow of foreign visitors to Uzbekistan increased by 37% compared to the same period last year, while the global average was 2%.

This strong momentum confirms Uzbekistan’s strengthening position on the global tourism map. In 2025, the country received a record 11.7 million foreign tourists, and in the first five months of 2026 alone, more than 5.3 million people have already visited the country. The expansion of visa-free regimes, development of transport infrastructure, modernization of tourism services, and active promotion of the national tourism product in foreign markets are creating new opportunities for international cooperation.

One example of such interaction is the development of tourism ties between Uzbekistan and Belarus. In recent years, cooperation between the two countries has become increasingly systematic, covering not only the exchange of tourists, but also joint efforts to promote tourism potential, develop business contacts, and expand humanitarian ties.

An important factor strengthening this cooperation remains the high level of political dialogue between the two countries. The consistent policy of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, aimed at expanding international partnerships and developing tourism as one of the drivers of the economy, creates additional opportunities for establishing ties with foreign states. In this context, a practical outcome has been the coordination and implementation of programmatic agreements in the field of tourism reached during official talks between the leaders of Uzbekistan and Belarus in February 2024, which became a significant stage in the development of institutional cooperation between the relevant agencies of the two countries.

A major milestone in the development of professional dialogue was the First Tourism Forum “Belarus and Uzbekistan,” held in 2024, which brought together representatives of government bodies, the tourism business, and educational organizations, and became a platform for discussing new areas of cooperation. In the subsequent period, interaction continued to develop within international exhibitions and business events in 2025, including Uzbekistan’s participation in the “ОТДЫХ-2025” exhibition in Minsk, the Third Women Entrepreneurs Business Forum in Vitebsk, as well as Belarus’s active participation in the 30th Tashkent International Tourism Fair “Tourism on the Silk Road,” confirming the stable and mutually beneficial nature of the partnership.

An important role in the development of bilateral cooperation is played by information and media support, including the organization of reciprocal press tours for media representatives and bloggers. Over the years, visits of Belarusian and Uzbek journalists and television crews to both countries have been carried out, significantly expanding coverage of the tourism potential of Uzbekistan and Belarus in national media spaces. A substantial contribution has also been made by visits of Belarusian media representatives to Uzbekistan, helping to generate sustained interest in the tourism opportunities of both countries. Additional promotional tools have included modern digital formats, in particular the screening of videos about Uzbekistan on LED screens at the “Galleria Minsk” shopping and entertainment center, which ensured broad audience reach and increased the country’s visibility in Belarus.

It is noteworthy that cooperation is developing not only at the interagency level. In recent years, contacts between tourism companies, educational institutions, and hospitality industry representatives of the two countries have significantly intensified.

The results of this work are also gradually reflected in statistics. In 2025, more than 32,000 citizens of Belarus visited Uzbekistan. A positive trend continues this year as well: in January–May 2026, the number of Belarusian tourists reached 14,251 people compared to 12,988 in the same period last year.

The growing interest of Belarusian travelers in Uzbekistan is largely connected to the transformation of the country’s tourism offering itself. If a few years ago the republic was perceived primarily as a destination for exploring the historic cities of the Great Silk Road, today tourists have access to a much more diverse range of experiences. Alongside cultural and historical routes, gastronomic, ecological, pilgrimage, event, and mountain tourism are actively developing, allowing the country to attract new categories of travelers and stimulate repeat visits.

The experience of recent years shows that sustainable growth in tourism exchange is the result not of isolated projects, but of the consistent development of bilateral cooperation. That is why the relations between Uzbekistan and Belarus in the field of tourism can today be seen as an example of how state support, business activity, and mutual public interest form a long-term partnership. As tourism opportunities in both countries continue to expand, this cooperation will become increasingly substantive, creating new growth points for the economy and strengthening ties between the peoples of Uzbekistan and Belarus.