Uzbekistan Boosts Pilgrimage Tourism from Malaysia, Indonesia

Authorities in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand region have held a meeting focused on attracting tourists from Malaysia and Indonesia through the “Umrah Plus” program and developing pilgrimage tourism.

The discussions were held via a Zoom videoconference and brought together Samarkand governor Adiz Boboev, Uzbekistan’s ambassadors to Malaysia and Indonesia, tourism consultants, and representatives of airports and airlines, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

Participants highlighted strong interest among pilgrims from Malaysia and Indonesia, where around seven million followers of the Naqshbandi Sufi order live. Many pilgrims expressed a desire to visit Uzbekistan’s sacred sites, including the mausoleum of Imam Bukhari, before traveling to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.

The meeting explored options for organizing flights from Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta to Samarkand with a two-day stay, after which pilgrims could continue their journey to Umrah on flights operated by Uzbek airlines.

Officials also discussed developing the “Umrah Plus” program and related tour packages in cooperation with travel companies, expanding transport routes, and improving service quality.

Following the meeting, the governor instructed relevant authorities to develop a roadmap to increase tourist arrivals from Malaysia and Indonesia, ensure ongoing coordination with Uzbek embassies in both countries, and implement measures in line with directives from the country’s leadership.