ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s tourism sector is entering a new stage of development as investment, visitor numbers and transport connectivity expand, with the industry increasingly positioned as a contributor to economic growth rather than simply a recreational sector.
The sector’s total contribution to Kazakhstan’s economy reached 5 trillion tenge (US$9.26 billion) in 2025, while employment exceeded 600,000 people, according to the government. Investment is also accelerating. Capital spending in tourism rose from 787.3 billion tenge (US$1.46 billion) in 2023 to 947.5 billion tenge (US$1.75 billion) in 2024 and 1.25 trillion tenge (US$2.31 billion) in 2025, an increase of 32.6% in one year.
More than 328 investment projects worth around 1.3 trillion tenge (US$2.41 billion) are currently being implemented across the country. They are expected to create about 10,000 permanent jobs and include 25 new international-standard hotels, including projects involving Hilton and Mandarin Oriental, as well as the expansion of the Oi-Qaragai mountain resort.
Growing visitor numbers create new economic opportunities Infrastructure expansion is being accompanied by stronger tourism demand. Kazakhstan received 15.7 million foreign visitors in 2025, compared with 9.2 million in 2023. Of these, 11.1 million were classified as tourists, and foreign visitors spent $2.9 billion in Kazakhstan.
China has emerged as a key driver of growth. The number of visitors from China increased by 46.8% in 2025, exceeding 960,000. In the first half of 2026, Kazakhstan received 7 million foreign tourists, with Uzbekistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Russia accounting for the largest shares.
Domestic tourism is also expanding. The number of Kazakh citizens traveling within the country increased from 7.1 million in 2023 to 8.7 million in 2025. The figures suggest that Kazakhstan’s tourism market is benefiting from two parallel trends: increasing international interest and a growing domestic travel market.
Together, they provide a more stable basis for investment in accommodation, transport and attractions. Infrastructure remains critical to further growth One of the main constraints on tourism development is access to destinations outside major cities. Air connectivity is also being expanded.
New regional tourist airports are being developed in Katon-Karagai, Zaysan and Kenderli, while airports in Arkalyk and Balkhash have resumed operations and the terminal in Urzhar is being modernized. For the summer season, 45 subsidized flights a week have been arranged to destinations including Alakol, Balkhash, Turkistan, Burabai and the Caspian coast.
Expanding transport infrastructure matters because Kazakhstan’s tourism potential is geographically dispersed. Its mountain, steppe, lake and Caspian destinations cannot generate significant visitor flows if reaching them remains expensive or time-consuming.