Mirziyoyev Presented with the Project for the Construction of a New Bukhara Airport: Management Will Be Transferred to Private Investors

Construction of a new airport has begun in Bukhara, which will be located outside the city limits. The new airport will be able to serve up to 1,200 passengers per hour and handle the arrival and departure of up to 8 aircraft per hour. The management of the airport will be transferred to private investors.

Uzbekistan continues its large-scale modernization of airports. This year, airports in Shakhrisabz, Kokand, and Zaamin have already been put into operation, and the modernization of airports in Namangan and Andijan has begun. The involvement of the private sector in managing airports has already shown positive results. For example, after the Samarkand International Airport was transferred to private management and underwent modernization, the number of flights and passenger traffic increased fivefold.

The Bukhara airport also has great potential, but in its current state, it does not meet the needs of local residents and tourists. Currently, the airport can only serve 400 passengers per hour, which totals about 1 million passengers per year.

Outdated flight management systems, passenger service facilities, and limited waiting areas restrict the possibility of increasing the number of flights. As a result, most tourists are forced to fly into Tashkent, Samarkand, or Urgench before traveling to Bukhara. For instance, 95% of the more than 1 million foreign tourists who visited Bukhara in the past nine months arrived by train or car.

Meanwhile, Bukhara is actively developing its hotel network and pilgrimage tourism. Over the next three years, it is planned to increase the flow of tourists to 8 million people. In light of this, on May 31, 2024, during the president’s visit to the Bukhara region, the construction of a new international airport near Bukhara was initiated.

The project is being implemented through a public-private partnership and includes the creation of infrastructure that meets international standards. The new airport will be able to serve up to 1,200 passengers per hour. By improving the quality of passenger and aircraft services, it is expected that new international airlines will be attracted.

During the presentation of the project, information was provided on the technical and economic aspects of the construction. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the need to double the airport’s capacity and create the ability to receive and dispatch up to 8 aircraft per hour. He also gave recommendations for improving conditions within the terminal, as well as its internal and external design.