Uzbekistan Discusses Expansion of Umrah Plus Tourism Project

Uzbekistan's Tourism Committee and the Association of Umrah Pilgrimage Travel Agencies convened to deliberate on advancing pilgrimage and religious tourism, specifically the expansion of the "Umrah Plus" initiative. The meeting, which included Deputy Chairman of the Tourism Committee S. Tadjiev, occurred on August 3, 2026.

Discussions centered on crucial elements of their "Umrah Plus" collaboration, emphasizing the promotion of pilgrimage tourism within Uzbekistan, exploring new international markets, and executing collaborative projects.

Representatives from the Association provided an update on their activities for the year 2026 to date. They detailed completed projects, organized events, achieved results, and outlined future development strategies.

The Association reported that international "Umrah Plus" exhibitions have been co-hosted with the Tourism Committee in Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Morocco, and Uzbekistan. These events attracted more than 2,000 attendees, comprising government officials, tourism industry professionals, international businesses, and local residents. Uzbek travel companies participating in these expos secured approximately ten partnership agreements with foreign entities.

Particular attention was given to the international exhibition held on June 27–28 at the Humo Arena complex in Tashkent. This event drew over 200 participants from tour operators, the hospitality sector, and transport and logistics companies representing Central Asia, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia.

Subsequent to the meeting, the Association put forth a proposal to extend its collaboration with the Tourism Committee into 2027, aiming to organize a series of international exhibitions in ten foreign countries to showcase Uzbekistan's tourism potential.

Both parties also reached an agreement to jointly develop an action plan and formalize their cooperation through a memorandum.