Airitom is becoming a new hub for cross-border trade – results of the CERR study

The Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR) conducted a comprehensive assessment of the activities of the Airitom free trade zone. The analysis shows a request for expansion of services and round-the-clock operation.

Scale and infrastructure of the project

Ayritom free trade zone was opened in August 2024 in the city of Termez and became one of the largest projects for the development of cross-border trade in Central Asia, strengthening the position of Uzbekistan as a regional hub for trade and logistics.

The total area of the zone is 26 hectares, of which 164.2 thousand m² are occupied by infrastructure facilities. It houses a hotel, a medical clinic, a business school, restaurants, production facilities and a logistics complex. The project is expected to create 3,000 jobs, with annual exports of $1.2 billion and attract up to 1.4 million visitors annually.

The trade zone provides visa-free travel for Afghan citizens, boosts cross-border trade and promotes expanded economic ties between the two countries.

Since its launch, Ayritom has been visited more than 740 thousand people, including 400 thousand citizens of Afghanistan. The greatest demand was for hotel and medical services. Thus, the services of the Hilton Garden Inn (190 beds,3 stars) were used by more than 9.0 thousand guests. The Akfa Medline multidisciplinary clinic, designed to serve up to 46 thousand patients a year, has already provided services to more than 76 thousand people, about 80% of them are citizens of Afghanistan.

Trading activity shows positive dynamics. Of the 490 retail spaces, 218 stores are already operating. Goods and products worth $187 million were exported to Afghanistan through the trade zone.

Given the significance of the project, CEIR conducted a survey among entrepreneurs and visitors to the Airitom trade zone. The results identified trends in trade activity and priority areas for further development.

Results of a survey of entrepreneurs in the Airitom trade zone

According to the survey, more than 70% of respondents noted that they have been conducting trading activities in the Center since its launch. An analysis of turnover showed that for 67% of business entities, the annual trade volume does not exceed 1 billion soums (about 78 thousand dollars), while for almost a third (29%) it is in the range of 3-5 billion soums (235-390 thousand dollars).

The Airitom trade zone occupies 57 thousand square meters, where there are three-story retail and service premises. The rental amount varies from $2.6 to $8.3 per square meter, depending on the location(basement, first floor, second floor). Almost half of the respondents (48%) described the current rental rates as high.

Trade activity in the center shows moderate flows of buyers. About two-fifths of stores (43%) serve an average of 30 customers per day, while almost a quarter (24%) report traffic of 100-150 customers daily. More than half of entrepreneurs (52%) said that their main clients are Afghan citizens.

In addition to trading activities, additional employment opportunities have been created in the infrastructure of the trading zone. More than 1 thousand local residents and about 140 Afghan citizens received jobs in restaurants, retail facilities, production and logistics structures, a clinic, a hotel and a hostel.

Results of a survey of buyers in the Airitom shopping area

According to a survey among buyers, the vast majority (91%) visited the shopping center, primarily to purchase food. Almost half (48%) choose it to buy clothes, 38% - household appliances, another 14% - pharmaceutical products. At the same time, about 71% of respondents noted that prices for goods and services in the zone are slightly lower than in other markets.

At the same time, traffic to the Airit shopping zone remains irregular. Thus, almost a third (29%) of buyers come here only once a month. The analysis of transport accessibility showed that about 38% of buyers travel using public transport, while 43% of respondents noted the lack of regular communication with the shopping area.

Directions for further development

The analysis confirms the high interest and significant growth potential of the Airitom shopping area. At the same time, a number of priorities for improvement have been identified.

For Afghan citizens, who make up the bulk of clients, speeding up border crossing and customs control remains important. 71% consider this process time-consuming.

The high demand for expanding the availability of services in Airitom is confirmed by 95% of visitors, who spoke in favor of round-the-clock operation of retail facilities.

Hotel services also require further adaptation of the pricing policy, as stated by more than two-thirds of visitors (71%). In addition, a significant part of clients from Afghanistan are interested in expanding the range of services, educational (52%), household (29%) and pharmacy (29%).

Thus, the demand for the center's services remains high, and further development of infrastructure and services will strengthen the role of Airit as a key hub for cross-border trade and cooperation.

CERR Public Relations Sector