UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | Uzbekistan is emerging as an increasingly popular destination for international travelers, with the country welcoming approximately 7.75 million foreign tourists between January and July 2026, a 22.6 percent increase year-on-year. Tourism service exports over the same period reached roughly $3.9 billion, according to figures cited by Uzbek tourism officials.
Within this broader growth, South Korea has established itself as one of Uzbekistan's leading long-haul source markets. From January to July 2026, South Korea ranked third among long-haul markets by visitor numbers, trailing only China and Turkey, with 26,500 Korean tourists arriving during the period. Annual figures have already surpassed pre-pandemic levels: Uzbekistan received 35,500 Korean visitors in 2019, rising to 41,300 in 2024 and 46,300 in 2025, an increase of nearly a third compared with 2019.
Visa-Free Access and Direct Flights
Officials attribute part of this growth to structural changes that have made travel between the two countries more accessible. Korean citizens have been able to travel to Uzbekistan visa-free for stays of up to 30 days since February 2018, and the two countries are connected by direct flights, which together have simplified travel between them.
However, officials say accessibility alone is not sufficient to sustain growth, noting that Uzbekistan also needs a stronger presence in the Korean tourism market through partnerships with tour operators, clearer itineraries, targeted promotion and improved service quality.
Industry Ties and Forums
Direct engagement between the tourism industries of the two countries has been expanding. In October 2024, the Uzbek-Korean Tourism Forum in Seoul brought together more than 100 industry representatives, with Uzbekistan showcasing its cultural heritage and tourism offerings while Uzbek tour operators and airlines presented routes tailored to the Korean market. Business-to-business meetings were a central component of the forum.
Plans are under discussion to deepen this cooperation through closer engagement with the Korea Association of Travel Agents (KATA), including joint industry events and coordinated promotion of Uzbekistan in the Korean market, while Korean companies are expected to take a more active role in the Tashkent International Tourism Fair (TITF).
Workforce Development and Language Training
Officials have also identified a shortage of Korean-speaking tourism specialists as an area requiring attention, citing the need for guides who can better understand and serve Korean travelers. Under discussion are plans with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to bring Korean experts into Uzbekistan's tourism education institutions, organize training and experience-exchange programs, and send Uzbek specialists to South Korea for training. A proposal has also been made to establish a Korean language and culture center at the International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage "Silk Road" in Samarkand.
Professional exchange in this area is already underway. In May, representatives of Uzbekistan's Tourism Committee took part in the KOPIST High-Level Tourism Policy Forum, organized by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and in June an Uzbek project placed first at the KOPIST 2026 tourism project presentation.
Institutional Framework
The tourism relationship between the two countries is underpinned by an intergovernmental agreement in place since 2012. Officials have proposed developing a separate agency-level agreement, along with an action plan aimed at further increasing tourism exchange between Uzbekistan and South Korea.
Officials described the current phase of cooperation as focused not only on increasing visitor numbers but on aligning the factors that shape travelers' decisions, including transport connectivity, accessibility, tourism offerings and service quality, while strengthening links among tour operators, educational institutions and relevant agencies in both countries.
