Afghans Lead Business Travel to Uzbekistan in First Half of 2025

Published August 5, 2025 21:25

National Statistics Committee reports sharp rise in commercial visits

Uzbekistan, as this year’s chair, hosts a high-level meeting to coordinate priorities ahead of the 7th Consultative Meeting of Central Asian heads of state. Photo: Uzbekistan Travel

In the first half of 2025, Afghan nationals accounted for the majority of business-related trips to Uzbekistan, totaling 207,500 visitors, according to data from the National Statistics Committee.

Citizens of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan also visited Uzbekistan for commercial purposes, with 12,200 and 1,600 travelers respectively. Turkmen citizens made up a modest share of the total.

In comparison, fewer visitors arrived from Russia (451) and Turkey (276) for business-related reasons. As of early July, Uzbekistan welcomed a total of 223,600 foreign visitors for commercial purposes — a 3.4-fold increase compared to the same period last year.