Issues of Expanding Tourist Flows from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore discussed

On July 13, 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a meeting dedicated to the implementation of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Measures to Further Develop Domestic and Pilgrimage Tourism in the Republic of Uzbekistan” (No. PF-6165 dated February 9, 2021) and the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers “On Additional Measures to Implement the ‘Umrah Plus’ Pilgrimage Tourism Program” (No. 6 dated January 9, 2026), as well as to expanding tourist flows from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore to Uzbekistan.

Held in a hybrid format, the meeting brought together representatives of the Tourism Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Committee on Religious Affairs, the Technical Regulation Agency, the khokimiyats of Bukhara and Samarkand regions and Tashkent city, JSC Uzbekistan Airways, JSC Uzbekistan Airports, domestic airlines, the Uzbekistan–Malaysia–Indonesia Travel Association, the Association of Umrah Pilgrimage Travel Agencies, as well as nearly 40 representatives of tourism companies.

Participants discussed in detail transport and logistics, service quality, and promotional measures aimed at increasing tourist arrivals to Uzbekistan from Southeast Asian countries. In particular, they considered increasing the number of flights from Malaysia, launching direct flights from Indonesia and Singapore, intensifying promotional activities for pilgrimage tourism under the "Umrah Plus" program, aligning infrastructure for foreign pilgrims with international halal standards, and strengthening coordination with tourism companies operating in this field.

The event was held in an open dialogue format based on the "problem–proposal–solution" approach, providing participants with an opportunity to exchange constructive views on existing challenges and opportunities in the sector.