Central Asia is often seen as one of the final frontiers of human civilisation: vast domains where human settlements remain few and far between.
For the most intrepid travellers, the region offers the ultimate in adventure and immersive cultural experiences, thanks to its position on the Silk Road which led to the development of cultures that weave together elements of both eastern and western traditions.
Based on discussions at the 14th run of the Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo (MITE), it could be that Central Asian tourism is in for a major growth period, one driven by travellers coming in from China, one of its closest regional neighbours.
Indeed, as of mid-June 2025, inbound travel from China to Central Asian states was up 74 percent in total, with Uzbekistan gaining the most as it saw an increase of 60 percent in tour bookings from the Chinese Mainland.
Central Asian tourism by the numbers
Before we delve into how regional tourism has benefited from the influx of Chinese travellers, let us first see how individual Central Asian states have performed with regard to inbound numbers.
As of end-Q1-2026, statistics are as follows:
- Kazakhstan As of December 2025, the Kazakh tourism industry raked in US$318 million in total revenues, reflecting a year-on-year increase of around 25 percent. Kazakhstan also welcomed 2.49 million tourists as of end-2025, over 754,000 of whom were foreign nationals. The bulk of foreign arrivals came from China and India;
- Kyrgyzstan Inbound tourism revenues of over US$1 billion were recorded at the end of the first quarter, per the country’s Economy and Commerce Ministry, reflecting an increase of 8.1 percent from the total recorded at end-2024. Tourism now accounts for 3.8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), up 0.02 percent from 2024. The country reports that it welcomed over ten million arrivals as of end-2025 and expects to grow its total by around ten percent by the end of this year; and
- Uzbekistan A total of 11.7 million foreign tourists made their way to Uzbekistan last year, with Chinese arrival numbers up 3.8 percent from 2024. The Uzbekistan Tourism Committee also reported that the country’s total tourism revenues hit US$4.4 billion as of December 2025, up 144 percent from the previous year.
Four drivers of sectoral growth
In relation to China, the participation of Central Asian states in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has raised its profile as a destination for both business and leisure travellers, especially in light of how Kyrgyzstan seeks to promote itself as an emergent player in regional and global MICE this year.
With that said, there are four specific drivers pushing the upward trajectory of Chinese inbound tourism into the region.
These are:
- Overall proximity Close enough to be reached by air, land, and sea, Chinese travellers see Central Asian states as a taste of foreign culture not too far from home. Indeed, the popularity of these regional destinations has been boosted over the past few years by an increase in the number of direct flights from different locations in China, improved railway and road connections, as well as visa-free agreements allowing stays of up to 30 days between these states and the mainland;
- Stronger cultural diplomacy Membership in the BRI likewise means active and immersive cultural exchange between China and its neighbours in Central Asia. Such exchanges leverage their shared history on the famed Silk Road, bringing mainland travellers as well as those from Hong Kong and Macao to exotic cities to experience the Islam-influenced traditions of the region;
- Increasingly diverse tourism offerings Aside from cultural as well as religious tourism, especially for those from the Uyghur region, Central Asian states are also setting themselves up as a collective hub for adventure and ecotourism, thanks to tours of the vast shared wilderness and mountainous areas which also offer immersion into the nomadic way of life; and
- Cooperation and investment China has actively supported inbound tourism into Central Asian states through extensive investments into tourism, connectivity, and hospitality. Active collaboration has also been noted between the mainland government and the tourism boards of individual nations with regard to tourism promotion and product development.
Investments, in particular, have led to the construction and / or opening of 130,000 new hotels and other accommodations within Central Asia, generating over 48,000 employment opportunities for locals.
It is to be hoped that such growth may be sustained between China and its Central Asian neighbours for the years to come.
