The Airitom Free Trade Zone was inaugurated in August 2024 in the city of Termez. It has become one of the largest initiatives to promote cross-border trade in Central Asia, strengthening Uzbekistan’s position as a regional hub for commerce and logistics.
The total area of the zone covers 26 hectares, with 164,200 square meters allocated for infrastructure facilities. The site includes a hotel, medical clinic, business school, restaurants, production areas, and a logistics complex. The project is designed to create 3,000 jobs, generate $1.2 billion in annual exports, and attract up to 1.4 million visitors per year.
The zone allows Afghan citizens visa-free entry, thereby stimulating cross-border trade and fostering closer economic ties between the two countries.
Since its opening, Airitom has been visited by more than 740,000 people, including 400,000 Afghan citizens. The highest demand has been for hospitality and medical services. The Hilton Garden Inn hotel (190 rooms, 3-star) has hosted more than 9,000 guests. The multidisciplinary Akfa Medline clinic, designed to serve up to 46,000 patients annually, has already provided care to over 76,000 individuals – around 80% are Afghan citizens.
Trade activity in the zone continues to grow steadily. Of the 490 retail units, 218 are already operational. Goods worth $187 million have been exported to Afghanistan through the zone.
Given the project’s importance, CERR conducted surveys among entrepreneurs and visitors to the Airitom Free Trade Zone to identify trends in business activity and priorities for further development.
According to the survey, over 70% of respondents have been engaged in trade at the center since its launch. Analysis of turnover shows that 67% of businesses have an annual trade volume not exceeding 1 billion sums (approximately $78,000), while nearly one-third (29%) report between 3 and 5 billion sums (about $235,000 – $390,000).
The trade zone covers 57,000 square meters, featuring three-story commercial and service facilities. Rental rates range from $2.6 to $8.3 per square meter depending on location (basement, first, or second floor). Almost half of respondents (48%) consider current rental rates high.
Customer flow remains moderate: around 43% of shops serve 30 customers daily on average, while nearly 24% report 100–150 visitors per day. More than half of entrepreneurs (52%) said their main customers are Afghan citizens.
Beyond trade, the zone’s infrastructure has generated additional employment opportunities. Over 1,000 local residents and about 140 Afghan citizens have found work in restaurants, retail outlets, production and logistics facilities, the clinic, hotel, and hostel.
According to the survey, the overwhelming majority of visitors (91%) came primarily to purchase food products. Nearly half (48%) came for clothing, 38% for household appliances, and 14% for pharmaceutical goods. Around 71% of respondents noted that prices for goods and services in the zone are somewhat lower than in other markets.
However, visits to Airitom remain irregular: almost 29% of shoppers come only once a month. Transport accessibility remains an issue – 38% of customers use public transport, while 43% noted the absence of regular routes connecting to the zone.
The analysis confirms strong interest and significant growth potential for the Airitom Trade Zone. At the same time, several key areas for improvement have been identified.
For Afghan citizens, who make up the majority of customers, speeding up border and customs procedures remains important: 71% of respondents described the process as time-consuming. Demand for extended service availability is high: 95% of visitors expressed support for 24-hour operation of commercial facilities.
Hotel services also require further price adjustments, as indicated by 71% of respondents. Additionally, a large share of Afghan customers expressed interest in expanding available services, particularly educational (52%), household (29%), and pharmaceutical (29%) offerings.
Overall, demand for the zone’s services remains strong. Further infrastructure and service development will strengthen Airitom’s role as a key hub of cross-border trade and cooperation.
CERR Public Relations Sector
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