The article investigates the structural and functional role of the Tashkent agglomeration as the principal driver of tourism market formation and development in Uzbekistan. By integrating agglomeration theory, central place theory, and tourism destination competitiveness frameworks, the study constructs a multi-level analytical model that positions the capital agglomeration as simultaneously a gateway node, an internal destination, and a spatial organizer of national tourism flows. The research draws on statistical data from the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Tourism Development, UNWTO regional reports, and the National Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan for the period 2017–2024. The analysis reveals that the Tashkent agglomeration concentrates approximately 64% of inbound international tourist arrivals, over 80% of licensed tourism enterprise activity, and 70% of national hotel accommodation capacity, confirming its primate role in the national tourism system.