Boutique Uzbekistan

An emerging premium tourism segment in Uzbekistan, taking off since the country opened up under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev (in office since 2016), who scrapped visa requirements for most European nationalities. The Silk Road cities of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, all UNESCO-listed jewels of Timurid architecture, now host boutique hotels installed in restored caravanserais and madrasahs. Reference properties include Bibi Khanum Hotel in Samarkand, Minzifa Boutique Hotel in Bukhara and Orient Star Khiva. Typical rates run EUR 150 to 400 per night, still very accessible compared with equivalent Silk Road destinations. National tourist arrivals grew 35 percent in 2024 according to Uzbekistan Statistics.