The decree extends several measures designed to support businesses and the tourism sector. It follows President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s annual open dialogue with entrepreneurs on August 18, as well as meetings held as part of the event, where nearly 14,000 appeals were submitted raising systemic issues affecting businesses.
Under the decree, subsidies for building three-, four- and five-star hotels will remain available until January 1, 2029. The period during which a reduced 0.1 coefficient is applied to property and land tax rates for hotels and other accommodation facilities has also been extended, through January 1, 2030.
Mirziyoyev announced the two-year extension of hotel construction subsidies during his August 18 meeting with entrepreneurs.
The decree also extends until January 1, 2028, the exemption from customs duties for buses, electric buses and minibuses imported by tourism industry businesses.
From January 1, 2027, services provided by Uzbekistan-resident tour operators to foreign tourists will be subject to a zero VAT rate.
The procedure for obtaining subsidies for star-rated hotels will also be simplified. Foreign companies’ opinions will no longer be required when confirming a hotel’s category for the purpose of receiving a subsidy.
The decree further requires payments for goods and services worth more than 400 times the basic calculated value to be made exclusively by bank card or through electronic payment systems. Previously, the threshold was set at UZS 25 million.
Several other measures will take effect from November 1. The required advance payment for electricity and natural gas for businesses will be reduced to 15%, while an economic amnesty known as the “Second Chance” will be introduced for entrepreneurs.
The decree also establishes a warning instead of a financial penalty for a first-time mistake by a business and introduces a three-year moratorium on inspections of small businesses.
