Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia have discussed easing visa procedures and adding flights to lift tourist traffic, Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee said in a statement reported on October 16.
The Uzbekistan Saudi Arabia tourism talks brought together Abdulaziz Akkulov, the committee’s chairman, and Mohammad Abunayyan, co-chairman of the Uzbekistan-Saudi Business Council and chairman of Saudi utility developer Acwa Power. They covered more direct services, extra seasonal charters and travel packages built around the preferences of Saudi travellers.
Visa rules between the two run in one direction. Uzbekistan has let Saudi citizens stay for up to 30 days without a visa since January 2023. Saudi Arabia dropped Uzbek nationals from its tourist eVisa scheme in April 2025, less than two years after admitting them, and gave no public reason, Kun.uz reported at the time. Pilgrim traffic gives Tashkent a reason to press the point: Riyadh launched a one-year, multiple-entry Umrah visa in July, allowing stays of up to 90 days per visit.
The two sides also discussed Saudi investment in Uzbek tourism infrastructure, including master plans for tourism zones and wider use of public-private partnerships. Abunayyan’s Acwa Power is already one of the biggest foreign investors in Uzbekistan’s renewable energy sector.
They also considered closer cooperation between tour operators in both countries on products and travel services.
Uzbekistan has been trying to sell more than its Silk Road cities, with an eco-tourism push aimed at new markets. Akkulov, previously Uzbekistan’s ambassador to the UAE, was appointed to head the Tourism Committee in December 2025.
