Uzbekistan and Turkey Launch “Umrah Plus” Route for International Pilgrims
The Association of Umrah Pilgrimage Travel Agencies has signed a strategic memorandum with the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (HUURSAD) to facilitate dedicated tours to Uzbekistan for Turkish citizens.
The initiative, officially titled «Umrah Plus Uzbekistan», was recently unveiled to 50 tourism industry representatives during a special presentation in Istanbul. The showcase was coordinated by the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan alongside the Organization of Turkic States, the Uzbek Consulate General in Istanbul and various Turkish travel coalitions.
Extending the spiritual journey
Under this new travel framework, Turkish pilgrims completing their religious duties in Saudi Arabia will be encouraged to extend their journey to Uzbekistan. This dual-destination approach allows visitors to experience the Central Asian nation’s rich historical monuments, ancient religious shrines and rapidly developing tourist infrastructure.
During the Istanbul event, tour operators were presented with comprehensive video materials highlighting key cultural landmarks. Heavy emphasis was placed on the newly developed Centre of Islamic Civilisation and the Imam Bukhari complex which are both quickly emerging as major focal points for international pilgrims.
A surging tourism sector
The newly signed protocol is expected to accelerate the launch of fresh tourist routes and significantly boost the influx of Turkish visitors before the end of the current year.
Uzbekistan’s broader tourism sector has experienced massive growth recently. In 2025 alone, the country welcomed a record-breaking 11.7 mln foreign visitors. This represented an impressive increase of 3.7 mln people or a 46.8% surge compared to the previous twelve months.
Turkey currently stands as the eighth largest source of international visitors to the republic with nearly 175,000 Turkish tourists travelling to Uzbekistan last year. The «Umrah Plus» programme is anticipated to drive those numbers even higher by tapping directly into the existing religious travel market.
