Tourism operators to receive subsidies for attracting pilgrims from Malaysia and Indonesia

Under the two-year “Umrah Plus” program, the country aims to attract 100,000 tourists from Indonesia and Malaysia. Tourism operators will receive $100 from the Tourism Support Fund for each pilgrim they bring to Uzbekistan. The Tourism Committee and other state bodies are tasked with approving the detailed disbursement procedure within a month.

A working group has been formed to implement the program, led by Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev.

Promotional campaigns “Ramadan in Uzbekistan” and “In the Footsteps of Imam Bukhari” are set to launch in Malaysia and Indonesia on January 15. Online sales of “Umrah Plus” tourist packages will also be made available via the National Tourism Platform.

The program plans to involve 10 aircraft from local and international carriers. The Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Tourism Committee will design air routes at competitive prices from Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta to Jeddah via Samarkand or Bukhara, with proposals to be submitted to tour operators within two weeks.

In addition, the International Academy of Islamic Studies will establish a training and practical laboratory to prepare specialists for the “Umrah Plus” program. The Academy will launch joint programs in Tourism and Hospitality with universities in Malaysia.