About Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s tourism prospects presented at Tourism Fair in Malaysia
25 March 2024
Uzbekistan’s tourism prospects presented at Tourism Fair in Malaysia

The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Malaysia took part in the major tourism exhibition “MATTA Fair”, held on March 22-24 in Kuala Lumpur.

The tourism opportunities of Uzbekistan were widely demonstrated to consumers by more than 20 largest travel companies in Malaysia.

Various tourist destinations of Uzbekistan, such as heritage tourism, pilgrimage tourism, winter tourism, gastronomical tourism, and railway tourism along the historical cities of the Silk Road were presented at the exhibition. Additionally, business tourism opportunities in Uzbekistan (MICE) were introduced to Malaysians as well.

Detailed information about the development of modern tourism services and infrastructure in the country, which is being developed to provide more favorable conditions for tourists visiting Uzbekistan was also presented to the exhibition participants.

It was noted that Malaysian citizens can visit Uzbekistan without a visa for up to 30 days, and direct flights to Tashkent from Kuala Lumpur have been established between the two countries. Also, the high-speed train system connecting the main historical cities of Uzbekistan, which creates great convenience for those traveling across Uzbekistan was also highlighted.

As a result of the exhibition, specific agreements were reached with tour operators of foreign countries for 2024.

The Malaysian partners noted that interest in traveling to Uzbekistan is growing in the markets of Malaysia and Southeast Asia year by year. Uzbekistan’s unique architecture, rich history and culture, and delicious Uzbek cuisine were mentioned as the main factors attracting foreign tourists to take a trip to Uzbekistan.

The Malaysian Tour Operators Association (MATTA) was established in 1975 and unites more than 3,000 travel companies. MATTA has offices throughout the country and regularly organizes traveling MATTA Fairs in all states of Malaysia. The exhibition in Kuala Lumpur is the largest and most famous B2C (business to consumer) exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region. The exhibition area is 37 thousand square meters and more than 1,300 travel companies participate in it, and more than 150 thousand guests visit.

Manager for Muslim destinations of the travel company “Apple Vacations” Zulkefli Yusuf said:

- Since 2024, Apple Vacations has been widely promoting the “Beautiful Uzbekistan” tourism program as a new destination.

I believe more Malaysians should know your country, which is the heart of Central Asia. Thanks to our program, tourists will be able to see the diverse culture and hospitality of Uzbekistan. The travel program is very interesting and full of beautiful places.

We will introduce tourists to the historical cities of Uzbekistan, such as Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarkand and Gijduvan, with their architectural monuments and, of course, modern tourist infrastructure.

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Did you know?

Uzbekistan is one of only two countries in the world to be ‘double landlocked’ (landlocked and totally surrounded by other landlocked countries). Liechtenstein is double landlocked by 2 countries whilst Uzbekistan is surrounded by 5!

Did you know that Uzbekistan lies in the very heart of Eurasia, the coordinates for Uzbekistan are 41.0000° N, 69.0000°

Uzbekistan is home to the Muruntan gold mine, one of the largest open pit gold mines in the world! The country has 4th largest reserves of gold in the world after South Africa, USA and Russia

Uzbekistan is the world capital of melons. They have in excess of 150 different varieties, which form a staple part of the local diet, served fresh in the summer and eaten dried through the winter.

It is Uzbek tradition that the most respected guest be seated farthest from the house’s entrance.

Tashkent’s metro features chandeliers, marble pillars and ceilings, granite, and engraved metal. It has been called one of the most beautiful train stations in the world.

The Uzbek master chef is able to cook in just one caldron enough plov to serve a thousand men.

When you are a host to someone, it is your duty to fill their cups with for the whole time they are with you.  What you must not do, however, is to fill their cup more than half-full.  If you do that as a mistake, say it is a mistake immediately.  Doing it means you want them to leave.  Wow!  Amazing, right?

To Uzbeks, respect means a whole lot.  For this reason they love it if, even as foreigners, you endeavour to add the respectful suffix opa after a woman's name; and aka after a man's.  Example: Linda-opa and David-aka.  You could also use hon and jon respectively.

Having been an historic crossroads for centuries as part of various ancient empires, Uzbekistan’s food is very eclectic. It has its roots in Iranian, Arab, Indian, Russian and Chinese cuisine.

Though identified with the Persia, the Zoroastrism probably originated in Bactria or Sogdiana. Many distinguished scholars share an opinion that Zoroastrianism had originated in the ancient Khorezm. Indeed, today in the world there were found 63 Zoroastrian monuments, including those in Iran, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Thirty-eight of them are in Uzbekistan, whereas 17 of these monuments are located in Khorezm.

One of Islam's most sacred relics - the world's oldest Koran that was compiled in Medina by Othman, the third caliph or Muslim leader, is kept in Tashkent. It was completed in the year 651, only 19 years after Muhammad's death. 

Tashkent is the only megapolis in the world where public transport is totally comprised of Mercedes buses. And due to low urban air polution it is one of the few cities where one can still see the stars in the sky.

You would be surprised to know that modern TV was born in Tashkent. No joke! The picture of moving objects was transmitted by radio first time in the world in Tashkent on 26 of July 1928 by inventors B.P. Grabovsky and I.F. Belansky.

Uzbekistan is the only country in the world all of whose neighbours have their names ending in STAN. This is also the only country in Central Asia that borders all of the countries of this region

Uzbeks are the third populous Turkik ethnicity in the world after Turks and Azeris (leaving both in Azerbaijan and Iran)

Did you know that there was silk money in Khiva? Super interesting right? Of course, but the best part of having silk money was that it could be sewn into your clothing.

Famous Islamic physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna in the Latin world) who was born near Bukhara was the one of the first people to advocate using women’s hair as suture material – about 1400 years ago.

Uzbekistan has a long and bloody history. The most notorious leader of Uzbekistan was Timur (or Tamerlane) who claimed descent from Genghis Khan. His military campaigns have been credited for wiping out some 5% of the world’s population at the time.

If you have thought that some of the Islamic architecture in Uzbekistan resembles that from Northern India, then that is because Timur’s great great great Grandson, Babur Beg, was the founder of the Moghul Empire that ruled much of India for almost four centuries! Babur’s great great Grandson was Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal.

Uzbekistan was once a rum producig country. There is still a real arboretum in Denau (city near Termez on the border with Afghanistan), grown from a selection station that studied the prospects of plant growing in the unusual for the Soviet Union subtropical climate of Surkhandarya region: only here in the whole of the USSR sugar cane was grown and even rum was produced!

Uzbekistan has been ranked one of the safest countries in the world, according to a new global poll. The annual Gallup Global Law and Order asked if people felt safe walking at night and whether they had been victims of crime. The survey placed Uzbekistan 5th out of 135 countries, while the UK was 21st and the US 35th. Top five safest countries:

  • Singapore
  • Norway
  • Iceland
  • Finland
  • Uzbekistan
Exchange rates
100 RUR
14210.3 UZS
100 USD
1299314.35 UZS
100 EUR
1361414.78 UZS
100 GBP
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