ТASHKENT, December 30. /Dunyo IA/. In 2025, citizens of Uzbekistan demonstrated strong outbound tourism activity, resuming active international travel and exploring new destinations abroad, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

According to data released by the National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, approximately seven million Uzbek citizens travelled overseas for tourism purposes between January and November 2025.

This figure represents an increase of nearly 1.3 million people, or 23 percent, compared with the same period last year, reflecting growing population mobility and the steady expansion of Uzbekistan’s international connections.

Neighbouring countries remain the top choice.

As in previous years, neighbouring countries continued to dominate travel preferences, accounting for almost 5.5 million trips.

Kyrgyzstan ranked first, welcoming 3.1 million visitors from Uzbekistan, followed by Kazakhstan with 1.3 million and Tajikistan with 1.2 million travellers.

These destinations remain particularly popular for leisure travel, family visits and short-term cross-border trips.

Long-haul destinations gain momentum.

Among more distant destinations, Russian Federation recorded 399,000 trips, while Saudi Arabia attracted 296,400 visitors, largely driven by religious tourism.

Türkiye followed closely, with 251,100 trips, remaining a key hub for leisure, cultural and business travel.

Growing interest in new and exotic routes.

A smaller but steadily growing number of travellers opted for non-traditional and long-haul destinations.

The United Arab Emirates welcomed 126,300 Uzbek visitors, Egypt received 61,000, China hosted 46,000, and Viet Nam recorded 35,600 arrivals from Uzbekistan during the reporting period.

Key drivers behind the growth:

Experts attribute the rise in outbound tourism to several factors, including: improved air and transport connectivity, expansion of visa-free and simplified visa regimes and increasing public interest in cultural, religious and wellness tourism.

As the New Year approaches, these figures carry particular symbolic significance. More Uzbek citizens are choosing to celebrate holidays abroad, reinforcing people-to-people ties, strengthening international friendship and continuing to discover the wider world.