Malaysia Tourists To Uzbekistan Double In Jan-Aug 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 (Bernama) -- The number of travellers from Malaysia to Uzbekistan doubled to 10,500 in January-August 2026, compared with 5,300 in the same period last year, indicating growing interest in Uzbekistan as an attractive tourist destination for Malaysians.
At the same time, more than 16,000 Uzbek citizens visited Malaysia in the first half of 2026, representing a 62 per cent increase compared with the previous year, according to the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Kuala Lumpur.
“Thanks to the efforts of the leaders of both countries, bilateral relations between Uzbekistan and Malaysia are consistently developing on the basis of the principles of friendship, mutual trust and respect,” said the Uzbekistan Embassy in Kuala Lumpur in a statement on Tuesday.
During the official visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Malaysia on Feb 4-5, 2025, both sides agreed to promote Uzbekistan’s pilgrimage tourism potential in Malaysia and further increase tourist flows between the two countries.
“There is enormous potential for expanding ties in the tourism sector, which will bring economic benefits and promote cultural exchange.
“An important step in strengthening the tourism links between Uzbekistan and Malaysia has been the introduction of a visa-free regime for citizens of both countries, valid for up to 30 days,” said the embassy.
According to the embassy, the historical and cultural ties between Uzbekistan and Malaysia also positively influence tourism cooperation.
Both countries belong to the Islamic world and take great pride in their shared Islamic cultural heritage, it said, noting that Uzbekistan’s historic cities, such as Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, were ancient centres of Islamic culture and learning.
“They attract Muslim tourists from all over the world, including from Malaysia,” it added.
The embassy said improved air connectivity was among the key factors contributing to the increase in tourist arrivals, with Uzbekistan Airways and Batik Air operating direct flights on the Kuala Lumpur-Tashkent-Kuala Lumpur route.
Since Dec 14, 2025, Batik Air has also operated a weekly direct flight between Langkawi and Tashkent.
In recent years, the embassy said Uzbekistan has made widespread efforts to develop Muslim-friendly infrastructure, including new prayer spaces and halal hotels and restaurants.
It noted that Samarkand and Bukhara, both major spiritual and historical centres, have attracted tourist groups from Malaysia.
The embassy said that for more than 2,700 years, Samarkand has stood at the crossroads of civilisations, serving as one of the most important cultural, commercial and intellectual centres along the Great Silk Road.
In March 2026, the Uzbekistan Government opened the Imam al-Bukhari Memorial Complex, which has the capacity to host up to 65,000 visitors daily, an increase from its previous capacity of 12,000.
The site is known as the final resting place of Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari (810-870 CE), the preeminent scholar of Hadith.
The embassy noted that the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan is actively cooperating with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia.
In 2026, dozens of mutual visits by tourism and culture delegations of Uzbekistan and Malaysia took place.
To further promote tourism, the embassy said trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, delegations of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan, Religious Affairs, Samarkand Regional Government, Syrdarya Regional Government, Fergana Regional Government and Uzbek businesses and travel companies visited Malaysia between January and August 2026.
Uzbekistan tourism and cultural delegations also participated in the April and September editions of the MATTA Fair Kuala Lumpur in 2026, as well as the MATTA Muslim Friendly Fair held on July 4-5.
Meanwhile, citing the Tourism Committee's report, the embassy said the number of foreign tourists visiting Uzbekistan hit 9.1 million from January to August 2026, up 21.1 per cent from the same period last year.
In 2025, the country recorded 11.7 million international visitors, up from 10.2 million in 2024.
-- BERNAMA
