Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Experts from the Institute of Macroeconomic and Regional Studies (IMRI) under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan conducted an offline survey to assess the dynamics of domestic tourism development in the country.

The study involved 3,172 respondents from all regions, including the Republic of Karakalpakstan and Tashkent, with 1,708 men and 1,464 women participating.

According to the survey results, the highest tourist flow was recorded in Samarkand (13.4%), Bukhara (9.6%), and Tashkent (10.6%) regions, as well as the capital (16.8%). The lowest interest in domestic travel was observed in Syrdarya region (1.0%).

Regarding travel frequency, 63.8% of respondents take trips once a year, 9.8% travel every three months, 1.9% at least once a month, while 23.4% do not travel at all.

Personal vehicles are the most popular mode of transportation, chosen by 34.9% of respondents. Taxis are preferred by 27.8%, while 12.2% opt for trains, and 7.3% travel by plane.

For accommodation, 58.5% of travelers prefer guesthouses, 27.3% stay in hotels, 10.9% choose hostels, and 3.2% camp in tents.

When asked about travel barriers, 36.4% of respondents stated they faced no obstacles. However, 48.1% mentioned that domestic tourism is not a priority for their family, 9.2% cited caregiving responsibilities, and 0.8% expressed no interest in traveling within the country.

Religious trips are the most popular travel purpose (22.8%), followed by cultural and educational tourism (15.7%), family vacations (14.0%), mountain recreation (11.0%), business trips (9.7%), educational programs and student exchanges (7.5%), ecotourism (3.9%), agritourism, and sports tourism (both 1.1%). The least popular types of tourism were beach (1.2%) and extreme tourism (0.5%).

To stimulate domestic tourism, 61.6% of respondents suggested implementing travel discounts, 15.1% supported social packages for caregivers, 9.3% proposed travel loans, and 5.1% emphasized the need to develop new tourist destinations.