Uzbekistan ranks among world's fastest-growing tourist destinations in Q1 2026

The country's performance stands out against a backdrop of modest global growth. Overall, international tourism expanded by just 2% year-on-year in January-March 2026, with around 307 million trips recorded – up 6 million from the same period in 2025. Growth slowed sharply in March, however, to just 0.4%, as the escalating conflict in the Middle East weighed on travel demand.

Regional trends were uneven. Europe and Africa led the way, each posting 4% growth, while Asia and the Pacific grew by 3% and the Americas by 2%. The Middle East was the starkest outlier, with arrivals falling 14% over the quarter and 37% in March alone.

Beyond Uzbekistan, several other countries recorded sharp jumps in visitor numbers. Paraguay topped the list at 46%, followed by New Caledonia at 45%, El Salvador at 43%, and Mongolia at 39%.

Tourism revenues are also climbing. Pakistan saw the largest increase in earnings at 60%, followed by South Korea at 38%, Mongolia at 27%, and Morocco at 24%.

Despite the broadly positive trajectory, analysts caution that the global tourism sector faces mounting pressure from geopolitical instability, as well as persistently high transport and accommodation costs – factors that could temper growth in the months ahead.