Uzbekistan Plans Nurbulak Resort Town in Samarkand

Uzbekistan's Tourism Committee has drafted a resolution to establish Nurbulak, a new sanatorium-resort town in the Samarkand Region, according to UzDaily.uz. This initiative aims to create a significant medical and health tourism hub, leveraging the area's natural thermal springs.

The proposed Nurbulak settlement will encompass 470 hectares within the Nurabad district. Following the resolution's adoption, it is slated to become an urban settlement under regional jurisdiction within one month, with future plans for city status.

The resort's main draw will be its therapeutic thermal radon springs. The project outlines the construction of international-standard sanatoriums and resort facilities to harness these healing waters. The goal is to expand the number of sanatoriums to 50, collectively offering 7,400 beds.

Key targets for the tourism sector include a twofold increase in both domestic and foreign tourists, a 2.3-fold rise in exports of medical and health tourism services, and an extension of the average guest stay from five to eight days.

To incentivize investment, tax and customs benefits are proposed. Until January 1, 2035, investors developing sanatoriums and spa complexes will be exempt from customs duties on imported equipment, machinery, and raw materials, and will receive a 50 percent reduction in land tax rates.

Within six months of the document's approval, the Samarkand Region Khokimiyat is tasked with developing Nurbulak's master plan. Design work and state expert reviews will be financed by the Fund for the Development of Tourism Infrastructure in Mountainous and Remote Areas.

Land for tourism infrastructure will be allocated through online auctions, adhering to the master plan and investment commitments. Investors building hotels and sanatoriums will be eligible for concessional loans from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development, with interest rates not exceeding the Central Bank's main rate, which was 14 percent at the time of publication.

The project also includes the development of a national medical and health tourism brand, "Avicenna," and an accompanying online platform. This platform will provide information on medical facilities, sanatoriums, and tourism sites in Uzbek, English, Russian, Chinese, and Arabic, along with an interactive map and an online inquiry service.