Etihad Airways has signed a Memorandum of Co-operation with the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan, committing both parties to joint marketing and trade initiatives aimed at growing leisure travel between Uzbekistan and the airline’s international network.
The agreement was signed at Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai by Aysha Saeed Al Kaabi, Vice President Commercial Enablement at Etihad, and Abdulaziz Akkulov, Chairman of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan.
“Uzbekistan is one of the most exciting new markets in our network, demonstrated by the launch of our daily service to Tashkent this year, and further reinforced by this Memorandum of Cooperation with the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan to drive leisure travel. Etihad’s extensive global network, together with our growing codeshare partnership with Uzbekistan Airways, makes it easier than ever for travellers to discover Samarkand, Bukhara and beyond, supporting tourism growth in the market,” Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways said in a statement.
“Today, Uzbekistan’s tourism industry continues to show steady growth. Between January and August 2026, 9.1 million foreign tourists visited the country, while tourism service exports reached USD 4.6 billion. Our priority is not only to sustain this growth, but also to expand the reach of inbound tourism, improve access to destinations across the country, and strengthen Uzbekistan’s presence in international tourism markets. The Memorandum will support our efforts to advance these priorities and attract more international visitors to Uzbekistan,” Abdulaziz Akkulov, Chairman of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan added.
The deal formalises a relationship that has been taking shape since May. Etihad entered a codeshare with Uzbekistan Airways on May 15, 2026, giving its passengers single-ticket access to eight Uzbek cities beyond Tashkent: Samarkand, Bukhara, Urgench, Nukus, Termez, Fergana, Namangan and Andijan.
The airline then launched its first direct route to the country on August 9, 2026, a daily Abu Dhabi–Tashkent service operated by Airbus A320.
