TASHKENT (Xinhua) — Uzbekistan has increased the number of countries whose citizens can obtain tourist visas in a simplified procedure and expanded the e-visa validity period in a bid to boost tourism, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said over the weekend.

Citizens of 77 countries can now get Uzbek tourist visas within two working days and the requirements to provide a tourist voucher or invitation of the inviting legal or natural persons in Uzbekistan have been abolished, the ministry said, citing a presidential decree signed earlier this week.

Furthermore, the validity of a Uzbek electronic visa for a 30-day stay in the country has been expanded to 90 days. That is, the stay of a foreign citizen is calculated from the moment of crossing the Uzbek state border, including entry into the country on the 90^th day, according to the document.

The number of foreign tourists visiting Uzbekistan has reached 1.3 mln in the first quarter of 2019, an increase of 42% compared to the same period of 2018, according to the Uzbek State Committee for Tourism.

During the second quarter of 2019, the number is expected to be around 1.47 mln, and by the end of the year, about 6 mln foreign tourists are expected to visit Uzbekistan.