Samarkand in Uzbekistan is a historic city on the Silk Road. UNESCO recognises its old buildings and streets as a place of world importance. People still live, work and study beside these famous places. But the city faces questions about how to grow and protect its past.
The head of the city’s tourism university says about seven million tourists visited in 2025. More than ten million came in the first nine months of 2026. The city expects about 14 million by the end of the year. The university plans a new centre to study tourism and its effects on jobs, the city and local people.
Researchers also work to protect old buildings. Some repairs from the 1990s used materials that can harm them. Researchers use lasers to make computer models of buildings. These models help them find dangerous changes in their shape.
Samarkand Region gained more than 1,100 apartment buildings in eight years. UN-Habitat and the national government are studying housing needs. A UN-Habitat expert says the city should improve existing homes and services, and build outside the historic centre. She also says local people should help make decisions about their neighbourhoods.
