Uzbekistan Eyes 12 Million Tourists as AI Enters Hospitality Sector

4 hours ago 2

February 24, 2026 | 02:06 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Uzbekistan is striving to strengthen its position as a leading global destination with the ambitious target of attracting 12 million visitors by 2026. In addition to expanding tourism infrastructure, Uzbekistan is also transitioning to artificial intelligence- or AI-based systems, especially in the hotel sector.

Based on preliminary data from the National Statistics Committee, Uzbekistan received 11.7 million foreign tourists during 2025. The country hosts 7,000 accommodation facilities, including more than 1,200 hotels at present.

Farangiz Abdullaeva, the Head of the Atelier Association in Uzbekistan, stated that the accommodation segment has experienced rapid growth over the last five to six years, as reported by Tour and Travel World.

This sector is now facing the challenge of aligning capacity growth with operational efficiency and service standards. The next stage of development not only requires physical expansion, but also relies on professional management and digitalization.

AI-Operated Hotels

As the influx of tourists increases, hotel operators are starting to adopt AI-based systems, especially for managing occupancy rates, pricing, and ensuring customer satisfaction. One of them is Davron Tukhtaev, the owner of the "Light" hotel chain, who uses an AI-enabled system to track guest flow and operations.

"[This system] allows us to track the number of guests, reduce risks and improve control of sales and operations," he said, operating hostels, mini-hotels, and apartments in Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara, as reported by Euronews.

Meanwhile, industry experts say that AI adoption is shifting from the experimental stage to standard practice. According to Irina Dovzhenka, a partner at the Nordic Star law firm, artificial intelligence is part of daily reality and is crucial to apply in hotel operations. "Hotel brands are developing AI-based products that improve guest experience and operational efficiency,” she said.

Not only hotels, but restaurants are also starting to look at AI. Svetlana Khaninnaeva, a chef and partner manager at Kazmyasa restaurant, said her team uses AI-supported software to analyze customer data, and this analysis can help improve service. "We analyse our guest database to understand what guests prefer, why they return and why they don’t," she said.

Not only in customer affairs, kitchen operations also use digital systems to manage documentation flow, track suppliers, and estimate inventory.

At the 2026 Hotel Business Forum in Tashkent, it was revealed that AI is moving beyond a mere marketing tool, but the core of daily operations. Investors, hotel operators, and technology providers are focusing on four operational areas: occupancy monitoring, dynamic pricing, customer analytics, and administrative section automation. Forum participants also agreed that future competitiveness depends on how effectively businesses use data for operations, cost control, and standardizing services.

Imanda Zahwa contributed to this article

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