In a world fractured by conflict and fatigued by geopolitics, tourism may seem like a footnote. Frivolous. Secondary. Indulgent. But it’s not. Tourism is one of the most underutilized tools for peace and diplomacy in our time. Overlooked, underestimated may be but never irrelevant. In fact, it may be the most profound act of global service we still have.

Air Marakanda, the management company operating Samarkand International Airport, today announced a doubling of passenger traffic for the year, compared with 495,000 passengers in 2022, and welcomed its one millionth passenger. The milestone not only represents the booming tourism appeal of Uzbekistan’s second city, but also highlights the successful growth strategy being pursued by the company.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, the ultra-low-fare national airline of the UAE, has launched an exciting new route from Abu Dhabi to the ancient city of Samarkand, one of the most important sites on the Silk Road.

The first flight from Doha to Tashkent will take off on January 17th, operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring 12 seats in business and 120 seats in economy class.

Samarkand has been added to the flight network of Turkish Airlines and becomes the 302nd destination offered by the carrier.