Bukhara's new $300 million airport planned to open by Independence Day 2027

Timeline and specifications of the airport

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has set the task of putting Bukhara's new airport and the road leading to it into operation before Independence Day 2027, reports the press service of the head of state (Kun.uz). The $300 million airport, being built to international standards, will be able to handle 20 aircraft and 1,200 passengers simultaneously. A 24-kilometer highway will be built to connect it with the city center, and a dedicated 5.5-kilometer BRT bus lane is planned for public transport.

Air connections and tourism plans

According to Zamon.uz, the meeting separately discussed expanding the geography of direct flights to the region: the Turkish airline Pegasus is launching direct flights to Bukhara, and for next year it has been instructed to begin regular and charter flights with Malaysia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Egypt and Bahrain. This year, 3.5 million foreign tourists are expected to arrive in the region; the goal has been set to double this figure in the future.

Tourist sites and city expansion

The historic complexes — the Old Town, Yatti Pir, Chor Bakr, Paykend, Varakhsha and Vardanze — are planned to be linked within a unified tourism concept. In the Gulcharbog mahalla, a $80 million tourist center covering 50 hectares will appear with an exhibition hall, amphitheater and hotels, while in the Jalol Ikromiy mahalla a $60 million congress hall is being built, next to which two seven-story hotels are being erected under the Hilton and Holiday Inn brands. In addition, eight central streets will be renovated, six alleys will be created, and in the Bukhara district a $500 million tourist cluster is planned on a thousand hectares, which, as expected, will increase the average length of tourists' stay in Bukhara to 4–5 days.