Geographically Uzbekistan is located in the center of Central Asia Region as well as Malaysia in Southeast Asia. Thanks to the efforts of the leaders of both countries, bilateral relations between Uzbekistan and Malaysia are consistently developing on the basis of the principles of friendship, mutual trust and respect. 

There is enormous potential for expanding ties in the tourism sector, which will bring economic benefits and promote cultural exchange. An important step in strengthening the tourism links between Uzbekistan and Malaysia has been the introduction of a visa-free regime for citizens of both countries, valid for up to 30 days. 

During the official visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Malaysia on February 4-5, 2025, mutual agreements were reached to widely promote the potential of pilgrimage tourism of Uzbekistan in Malaysia and to further increase the flow of tourists between two countries.

The historical and cultural ties between Uzbekistan and Malaysia also positively influence our tourism cooperation. Both countries belong to the Islamic world and take great pride in our shared Islamic cultural heritage. Uzbekistan’s historic cities, such as Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, were ancient centers of Islamic culture and learning. They attract Muslim tourists from all over the world, including from Malaysia. 

The number of foreign tourists visiting Uzbekistan hit 9.1 million over the January–August 2026, up 21.1% from the same timeframe last year, according to the Tourism Committee's report. In 2025, the country received 11.7 million international visitors, up from 10.2 million in 2024. 

The number of tourists to Uzbekistan from Asian countries also increased. Number of travelers from Malaysia to Uzbekistan doubled and hit 10,5 thousand in January–August 2026, compared to 5,3 thousand in January–August 2025. Indicating the growing interest in Uzbekistan as an attractive tourist destination for Malaysians. At the same time, more than 16 thousand Uzbek citizens visited Malaysia in the first half of 2026, representing a 62 percent increase compared with the previous year. 

One of the main factors in increasing number of tourists is air connectivity. “Uzbekistan Airways” and “Batik Air” operating direct flights on the “Kuala Lumpur – Tashkent – Kuala Lumpur” route. Moreover, since December 14, 2025 “Batik Air” launched direct flights “Langkawi – Tashkent – Langkawi” with frequency of once a week. 

In recent years, Uzbekistan has made widespread efforts to create Muslim-friendly infrastructure, including new prayer spaces and Halal hotels and restaurants. Samarkand and Bukhara, as major spiritual and historical centers, attract tourist groups from Malaysia. For more than 2,700 years, Samarkand has stood at the crossroads of civilizations, serving as one of the most important cultural, commercial, and intellectual centers along the Great Silk Road. 

In March 2026 Uzbekistan Government has opened Imam al-Bukhari Memorial Complex, which has capacity to host up to 65,000 visitors daily, an increase from its previous capacity of 12,000. The site is known as the final resting place of Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari (810–870 CE), the preeminent scholar of Hadith.

The Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan is actively cooperating with Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia. In 2026, dozens of mutual visits of tourism and culture delegations of Uzbekistan and Malaysia took place. In order to widely promote tourism, trade and economic cooperation between two countries, delegations of Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan, Religious Affairs, Samarkand Regional Government, Syrdarya Regional Government, Fergana Regional Government and Uzbek businesses and travel companies successfully visited Malaysia in January-August 2026. 

Uzbekistan tourism and cultural delegations successfully participated at “MATTA Fair Kuala Lumpur” on April and September editions 2026, as well as at  “MATTA Muslim Friendly Fair” on 4-5 July 2026. 

Author: The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Kuala Lumpur