In recent years, Kazakhstan has featured increasingly often in selections published by leading international travel media, while more Kazakhstanis are choosing to spend their holidays at home. In this article El.kz examines how the tourism sector evolved between 2019 and 2025.
The World Economic Forum provides one of the most comprehensive assessments of the tourism sector. Since 2019, Kazakhstan has climbed 28 places in the Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index.
In the latest edition of the index, the country ranks 52nd. According to Acting Chairman of the Tourism Industry Committee Nurbol Baizhanov breaking into the top 50 remains one of the Ministry’s strategic objectives.
Kazakhstan has also strengthened its position in the rankings published by the US-based U.S. News. In the category covering tourism and culture, the country has risen 11 places in recent years.
Mangystau through the eyes of intl media
In recent years, major international media outlets have increasingly covered Mangystau region. Euronews published a feature on the region, comparing its landscapes to the surface of Mars. The Washington Post highlighted the Valley of Balls and the vast Zhygylgan depression, scattered with rock fragments as large as houses.
The distinctive appearance of these landscapes is explained by their geological history. Millions of years ago, the peninsula lay beneath the ancient Tethys Ocean. Over time, marine sediments transformed into white chalk plateaus, cliffs and rock formations. The Bozzhyra tract, with its striking white rock formations rising from the desert, has become the region’s signature attraction.
A few hours’ drive from Bozzhyra, visitors encounter landscapes of a different kind. With its pink-and-white striped slopes, Kyzylkup Canyon has been nicknamed “Tiramisu” by international tourists. Hundreds of stone spheres are scattered across the Torysh tract, and scientists continue to debate their origins.
Visitor numbers in Mangystau have been rising year after year. In 2024, the region welcomed over 462,000 tourists.
Historical landmarks are also fuelling interest in the peninsula. In 2024, the underground mosques of Beket-Ata and Shopan-Ata were included on UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites.
An integrated development plan has already been prepared for the Mangystau tourism zone. The plan provides for the modernisation of roads and utility networks, the construction of new tourism facilities and the attraction of private investment. A resort development project is also being prepared at Kenderli on the Caspian Sea coast.
Mountains that surpass the Alps in scale
Kazakhstan shares two of Asia’s largest mountain systems with neighbouring countries. The ranges of the Tian Shan stretch across the country’s south-east, while the foothills of the Altai rise in the east.
The Tian Shan extends approximately 2,450 kilometres from west to east, making it almost twice as long as the Alps. The Altai is not far behind in scale. Together, these mountain systems form an extensive mountain belt alongside which Europe’s best-known ranges appear relatively compact.
The country’s highest peak, Khan Tengri, rises to 7,010 metres. At sunset, its marble summit turns red, a spectacle that has long made the mountain an object of reverence among local peoples.
In Almaty Region, tourists are drawn to the Kolsai Lakes and Lake Kaindy. The latter was formed following the 1911 earthquake, and the trunks of submerged spruce trees still protrude from its turquoise waters.
The Kazakh Altai is home to Belukha Mountain, which reaches 4,506 metres. The Katon-Karagay National Park, the largest national park in Kazakhstan, stretches across the surrounding area. Nearby are the high-altitude Lake Markakol and the red-orange clay cliffs of Kiin-Kerish.
What travel publications are saying about Kazakhstan
The British travel guide publisher Lonely Planet included Kazakhstan in its Best in Travel 2025selection. Its experts highlighted the country’s rich history, diverse landscapes and combination of ancient traditions and modern life.
A year earlier, the republic had been featured in selections of top destinations by Condé Nast Travelerand Wanderlust. The New York Times included Almaty in its annual list of places worth visiting. CNN Travel subsequently also spotlighted Kazakhstan’s largest city.
Interest in the country is also growing in East Asia. Tongcheng Travel, one of China’s largest online travel platforms, named Kazakhstan the most promising emerging destination of 2025. According to the platform, Chinese tourist demand for trips to the republic had increased by 300% in the previous year.
Affordable prices
Analysts at Visual Capitalist, drawing on data from Booking.com, Kayak and other services, included Kazakhstan among the world’s most affordable countries for travel. The average daily travel budget was estimated at USD 19, with only Laos offering a less expensive holiday.
Kazakhstan is also a popular destination for travellers from Muslim-majority countries. In the 2026 Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index, the republic ranks 23rd, with the accessibility of the destination identified by the index compilers as one of its strongest attributes.
The flow of visitors from Arab countries is particularly notable. Kazakhstan has previously topped a ranking of the fastest-growing travel destinations for residents of this region and remains among the popular choices for travel during the Oraza Ait holiday period.
Kazakhstanis are choosing to rest at home
The most significant outcome of the past seven years has been the growth of domestic tourism. By the end of 2025, accommodation establishments had served 8.66 million residents of Kazakhstan.
Since 2019, the number of Kazakhstanis travelling within their own country has increased by 3.37 million. A substantial share of these trips is directed towards natural attractions, including mountains, lakes and canyons.
Over the same period, visitor numbers at state-owned national nature parks increased 2.6-fold. Among the most popular destinations are Ile-Alatau National Park, Charyn Canyon, Altyn-Emel and the Kolsai Lakes, where new hiking trails and visitor centres are being developed.
Where travellers can stay
As visitor numbers increased, so did the network of hotels, recreation centres and guesthouses. By 2025, the number of accommodation establishments in the country had reached 4,482.
Their combined capacity amounted to 233,000 bed places. New accommodation facilities are being developed both in resort areas and in smaller settlements along tourist routes.
The value of services provided by accommodation establishments has increased 2.9-fold since 2019. This revenue remains in the regions and supports local businesses.
Investment in the tourism sector
Tourism has become significantly more attractive to investors. In 2025, investment in the sector reached KZT 1.26 trillion.
In the same year alone, 95 infrastructure projects were implemented across the country. These included new hotels, recreation centres, roads and utility networks serving tourism facilities.
The sector also contributes to public revenue. Tax receipts from tourism amounted to KZT 630 billion in 2025.
Business support measures
Since 2022, seven government support mechanisms have been available to tourism-sector entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan. The state reimburses part of the costs associated with the construction and modernisation of facilities, the purchase of tourist transport and equipment, the development of roadside services, and the provision and maintenance of sanitary facilities.
For large-scale projects, a concessional lending programme is available through the Development Bank of Kazakhstan. KZT 150 billion has been allocated to the programme.
Since 2021, a total of 483 sanitary facilities have been installed at tourist destinations and roadside service areas. This directly improves the convenience of travelling across the country, particularly along long-distance highways.
What comes next
In 2025, integrated development plans were prepared for the Shchuchinsk-Borovoe resort area, the Mangystau tourism zone and the Almaty Mountain Cluster.
The plans provide for the modernisation of transport and utility infrastructure, the construction of new facilities and the attraction of private investment.
Kazakhstan’s National Development Plan through 2029 sets a target of increasing the number of domestic tourists to 11 million.
To achieve this objective, the updated Concept for the Development of the Tourism Industry includes 66 measures. Its priorities are infrastructure, investment, new tourism products and service quality.
