The flow of guests coming to Khorezm is increasing year by year. In this regard, work on expanding and modernizing Urganch International Airport in accordance with international standards is actively ongoing.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's visit to the Khorezm region also began with getting acquainted with the projects being implemented at the airport.

Urganch Airport was put into operation in 1960 and received international status in 1992. Today, the complex, with a total area of over 285 hectares, serves regular flights of about a dozen airlines.

This year, the airport provided services worth 126 billion soums. This is 31 percent more compared to the corresponding period of 2025.

However, the flow of tourists and the expansion of international cooperation require a fundamental increase in the airport's capacity.

264 million dollars of investment has been channeled into the expansion and modernization of Urganch International Airport. The project is being implemented on the basis of public-private partnership.

As a private partner, South Korea's "Incheon International Airport Corporation", which manages one of the world's largest aviation hubs, has been engaged.

As a result of the reconstruction, the airport will gain the capability to receive wide-body aircraft such as "Boeing 747" and "Airbus A350". This will allow direct, non-stop long-haul flights to Khorezm from various continents of the world.

In the first phase of the project, 18 aircraft parking stands and a new taxiway will be built.

Additionally, modern border control and visa departments, a business lounge, retail and dining outlets, a 24-hour medical post, and a "Duty Free" zone will be established at the airport.

A new terminal to serve official delegations is also being constructed at the airport. Once the project is fully completed, the passenger handling capacity of the airport will increase from 300 to 1,300 people per hour.

The President noted that the cities of Khiva and Urganch are turning into a global arena where major international summits, high-level diplomatic meetings, and prestigious economic and cultural conferences are held.

Therefore, it was emphasized that ensuring a high level of comfort and security at the airport for foreign delegations will serve to further enhance Uzbekistan's prestige in the international arena.