Kazakhstan's Oi-Qaragai mountain resort, located in Almaty region, has won the Best Ski Resort in the CIS Countries category at the international Ski Business Awards, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the Tourism Industry Committee. According to the committee, the award reflects the strong potential of Kazakhstan's tourism industry and the competitiveness of its resorts.
Held annually as part of the Forum of Tourist Territories (FTT), the Ski Business Awards bring together representatives of the ski tourism industry and recognize achievements in resort infrastructure, technological innovation, and service quality. Oi-Qaragai has also received recognition in previous years, winning awards for Best IT Solution and Best Children's Camp Program.
In 2025, the resort was honored for its achievements in marketing. Meanwhile, Oi-Qaragai is undergoing a major expansion worth 53.2 billion tenge, financed entirely through private investment. The project, scheduled for completion by 2028, is expected to increase the resort's capacity, improve service quality, and create up to 1,200 new jobs.
Almaty region is also emerging as a promising destination for mountain and ecotourism, having welcomed 658,000 tourists in 2025. Further development of tourism infrastructure is expected to attract more visitors and investment while supporting the regional economy.
The modernization of existing resorts and development of new year-round destinations remain key priorities in Kazakhstan's efforts to strengthen its tourism appeal and expand domestic and inbound tourism. Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the most popular flight destinations from Astana had been revealed.