China's Outlook New Era Magazine has published an article on Central Asia's tourism growth, based on the World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC) 2026 Economic Impact Research report.
According to the report, Central Asia was one of the fastest-growing regions in the global tourism industry in 2025. The WTTC analyzed world tourism across 13 major regions, and Central Asia ranked first on several key indicators.
Specifically, the region's travel and tourism sector contribution to GDP grew by 17.7 percent in 2025, while the sector's direct economic contribution rose by 19.6 percent. These figures significantly outpaced growth rates in Northeast Asia (8.7 percent) and Southeast Asia (7.6 percent).
The report put Central Asia's tourism sector contribution to the economy at $220.1 billion in 2025, equivalent to 4.3 percent of the region's GDP. Employment in the sector grew by 9.5 percent, while investment in tourism rose by 12.4 percent.
The article singled out Uzbekistan as Central Asia's most advanced tourist destination, noting that WTTC data shows the country leading the region across key benchmark indicators.
Uzbekistan's tourism services export revenue reached $44.8 billion in 2025 — nearly half of Central Asia's total tourism export earnings, according to the report.
Uzbekistan was also identified as the most popular destination for travelers from within the region itself, accounting for 25 percent of outbound trips by Central Asian residents, followed by Kazakhstan (23 percent) and Kyrgyzstan (18 percent).
In addition, Uzbekistan welcomed 11.7 million foreign tourists in 2025, up 46.8 percent from 2024.
The WTTC attributed the region's rapid tourism growth to several key factors: simplified border procedures, improved transport and logistics infrastructure, the development of new tourist routes, and coordinated promotion of Central Asia as a unified travel destination.
The research findings point to Uzbekistan's strengthening position as one of Central Asia's leading tourism hubs.
Stay up to date with all the latest news:
