As part of the Cabinet of Ministers' resolution on the implementation of the "Umrah Plus" program, Uzbekistan aims to increase the number of tourists from Malaysia and Indonesia to 100,000 people by 2026–2027. This will be one of the steps towards developing the ziarat tourism sector.
To attract visitors from these countries, special events are planned, including the celebration of Ramadan Khait and Kurban Khait on the territory of Uzbekistan. Advertising campaigns will be held in Malaysia and Indonesia under the slogans "In the Footsteps of Imam Bukhari" and "Spend Ramadan in Uzbekistan".
Additionally, roadshows dedicated to ziarat tourism will take place in regions of Malaysia with a high concentration of Muslims, such as Kelantan, Kedah, and Terengganu.
Within the framework of the "Umrah Plus" program, tourist routes will be created covering cities such as Tashkent, as well as Samarkand and Bukhara.
It is also planned that by the end of 2026, the Tourism Committee will allocate subsidies of $100 for each tourist to tour operators who attract visitors from Malaysia and Indonesia under the "Umrah Plus" program. Funding will be provided from the Tourism Support Fund.
Within a month, together with the interested ministries, the procedure for determining the number of tourists and the mechanism for subsidy payments will be approved.
Furthermore, within two weeks, under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojaev, a program for "Umrah Plus" will be developed with the participation of local tour operators. As part of this program, discounts on visits to cultural heritage sites, accommodation, and dining services during off-peak periods, such as from November 20 to February 20 and in July, will be implemented in collaboration with the Agency for Cultural Heritage and the khokimiyats of Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara regions.
The Ministry of Transport, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Tourism Committee, must ensure the attraction of up to 10 aircraft, including rentals, within two weeks. It is also planned to open tourist air routes from Kuala Lumpur to Samarkand and back, from Kuala Lumpur to Bukhara to Jeddah to Kuala Lumpur, from Jakarta to Samarkand to Jeddah to Jakarta, and from Jakarta to Bukhara to Jeddah to Jakarta at competitive prices.
It should be noted that starting from August 2025, Indonesian airlines will be allowed to operate flights to all international airports in Uzbekistan.
Source: podrobno.uz
