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Uzbekistan to Open Nine Caves and a Salt Mine to Tourists by 2028
Government approved a natural-site development program across four regions; tourism already accounts for 6% of the country's GDP.
Uzbekistan's Committee for Tourism has announced a state program to develop nine caves and a salt mine across four regions — Jizzakh, Samarkand, Surkhandarya, and Kashkadarya. Work is scheduled through 2028 under a government decree issued on September 30.
The program covers developing tourist routes, supporting local residents in opening family guesthouses, and providing specialized guide training. The Ministry for Emergency Situations is required to draft site-visitation regulations within three months; a certification system for guides and instructors must be operational by June 2027. Annual forums for domestic and foreign investors are planned from 2027 onward.
Among the selected sites is Boybulok cave in southern Surkhandarya region, featuring deep shafts and water-filled galleries that require technical preparation. Also in the region is Teshiktash — where the remains of a Neanderthal child were discovered in 1938, cementing the site's archaeological significance.
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism contributed $8.3 billion to Uzbekistan's economy in 2024, representing 6% of GDP.
Sources — how we know this
- PrimaryThe Times of Central Asia