The talks were held between Abdulaziz Akkulov, chairman of Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee, and Mohammed Abunayyan, co-chair of the Uzbekistan–Saudi Business Council and chairman of ACWA Power.
The sides reviewed implementation of an action plan for tourism cooperation signed in June 2026. Other priorities included developing master plans for tourism zones, attracting Saudi investors to infrastructure projects and expanding public-private partnerships.
They also discussed promoting Uzbekistan as a destination in the Saudi market through digital public relations campaigns, developing tour packages tailored to Saudi travelers, strengthening cooperation between tourism companies and simplifying visa procedures.
One proposal was to establish a permanent pavilion at Boulevard World in Riyadh to showcase Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage and tourism offerings, with visitors able to book and purchase tour packages.
The parties also considered organizing familiarization tours for Saudi tourism companies and bloggers, business-to-business meetings and travel itineraries lasting five to seven days during the 31st Tashkent International Tourism Fair, “Tourism on the Silk Road,” scheduled for November 25–27, 2026.
Expanding direct flights and seasonal charter services was another priority. The sides also discussed measures to attract Saudi companies specializing in meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) to organize international conferences and business events in Uzbekistan.
They further discussed exchanging calendars of major tourism, cultural and entertainment events in both countries and inviting Saudi investors to the first International Tourism Investment Forum, which will be held as part of the Tashkent tourism fair.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to continue negotiations on promising projects, follow through on the proposed initiatives and strengthen practical cooperation to increase tourist exchanges between the two countries.
