Tourism Strengthens Malaysia-Uzbekistan Bilateral Relations

KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 (Bernama) -- Uzbekistan and Malaysia have agreed to step up their shared commitment to foster closer cooperation in the tourism sector and pave the way for increased people-to-people exchanges and economic collaboration.

In a statement Thursday, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Kuala Lumpur said the commitment was demonstrated during a recent visit by a Malaysian tourism delegation to Uzbekistan from July 3 to 9, 2025.

The visit, the embassy said, followed the successful official visit of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to Malaysia on Feb 4 - 5, 2025, and served as part of the implementation of key bilateral agreements in the field of tourism.

The week-long working visit, organised by the embassy in collaboration with the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan, involved leaders from key Malaysian tourism associations, including the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA), the Association of Bumiputera Tourism Operating Companies of Malaysia (BUMITRA), and the Association of Umrah and Hajj Tourism Agencies (PAPUH).

More than 25 Malaysian travel companies were represented in the delegation, alongside prominent Malaysian actress and TV presenter Adrea Abdullah, who joined the visit at the invitation of the Uzbek side, lending further visibility and media attention to the event.

According to the embassy, the delegates toured various regions and cities, including Jizzakh, Samarkand, Bukhara, and the capital, Tashkent, where they explored Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage, Islamic pilgrimage sites, and growing tourism infrastructure.

“A series of presentations showcasing Uzbekistan’s tourism potential were held alongside Government-to-Business (G2B) and Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings,” it said.

“These sessions brought together Uzbek and Malaysian tour operators to discuss opportunities for expanding the flow of Malaysian tourists to Uzbekistan and establishing long-term partnerships,” it added.

The statement also highlighted that the delegates experienced the services of Uzbekistan Airways, including the comfort and convenience of the direct Kuala Lumpur-Tashkent-Kuala Lumpur flight route.

-- BERNAMA