Uzbekistan to offer pilgrims from Malaysia and Indonesia pre-Umrah visits

Approximately 7 million followers of the Naqshbandi Sufi order in Malaysia and Indonesia are eager to visit Uzbekistan’s Muslim shrines and religious landmarks before embarking on their Umrah pilgrimage.

There is a significant opportunity to bring pilgrims from Kuala Lumpur or Jakarta to Samarkand and Bukhara for at least two days, after which they could be flown to Mecca. The president has instructed the relevant authorities to launch an "Umrah Plus" tour package for pilgrims from Malaysia and Indonesia.

At a recent meeting, it was emphasized that while platforms such as "Aksaray" in Shahrisabz, "Itchan Kala" in Khiva, "Labi-Hovuz" in Bukhara, and "New Uzbekistan" in Tashkent exist, they do not host concerts, exhibitions, or forums. For instance, if international artists performed at six of the country’s key tourist centers, hotels, restaurants, cafes, and service facilities would be filled with visitors.

In this context, the president has instructed the development of a program to host international-level concerts, business forums, and exhibitions, which are expected to attract at least 1 million tourists.

Additionally, given the large number of unexplored historical sites, the task has been set to develop a three-year program, in collaboration with experts, to identify and restore historically significant attractions.