TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, August 5. The aviation
authorities of Uzbekistan and Indonesia have signed a landmark
agreement to strengthen cooperation in civil aviation and
pilgrimage tourism, Trend reports.
This agreement supports Goal 53 of the Uzbekistan–2030 Strategy,
ratified by Presidential Decree on September 11, 2023, which
targets a fourfold increase in air transportation volumes by
2030.
The Uzbek Ministry of Transport delegation met in Jakarta, where
they presented Indonesia with an overview of Uzbekistan’s
wide-ranging reforms in pilgrimage tourism and civil aviation. The
two sides also explored opportunities to expand the “Umrah Plus”
program, designed to promote pilgrimage travel.
Following productive negotiations, the parties agreed to remove
restrictions on the number of airlines permitted under the previous
bilateral air services agreement.
The new agreement designates additional destination points for
Uzbek airlines, including Denpasar, Surabaya, Medan, Yogyakarta,
Majalengka, Banda Aceh, Tanjung Pandang, and Lombok, alongside
Jakarta.
Furthermore, the agreement increases weekly flight frequencies
to 28 flights per airline from each country, totaling 56 flights in
both directions. Indonesian airlines are also granted rights to
operate flights to all international airports in Uzbekistan.
This enhanced cooperation is expected to stimulate growth in air
traffic between the two nations, boost pilgrimage tourism, and
support the broader objectives of Uzbekistan’s national development
strategy.
Meanwhile, the Uzbek airline Qanot Sharq, in partnership with
the travel company Asialux, currently operates seasonal tourist
charter flights on the Tashkent-Denpasar (Bali) route.
Concurrently, the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in
Indonesia is conducting extensive outreach and educational
campaigns within the Indonesian tourism market to promote
Uzbekistan’s tourism potential globally and increase foreign demand
for travel to the country.
