Waking up one morning in April, the important news that broke during the night was that Jennifer Lopez had announced her concert in Astana. I may not consider myself a devoted JLo fan, but when a big star like Lopez decides to visit our part of the globe, I cannot resist joining the rush for a pair of tickets.
Aibarshyn Akhmetkali
Internationally acclaimed artists have traditionally chosen to host their shows in the global north. As someone from a Central Asian country, you can believe me when I say that I have spent years feeling a sense of envy toward those who can simply buy a concert ticket in their own city. For me, seeing my favorite artist has always meant spending tons of money on travel and accommodation.
But in the recent couple of years, Kazakhstan has experienced a growth in the event industry, attracting international acts. Last year, Almaty welcomed the 2000s superstars like 50 Cent and Nicole Scherzinger. Major artists expected to perform in Kazakhstan in 2025 include Limp Bizkit, Thirty Seconds to Mars, and the 90s pop icons Backstreet Boys.
Particularly, Astana is becoming a key location for major events in the entertainment industry. The city has spent years positioning itself as a major hub for political conferences and a meeting point for global diplomatic powers, in line with Kazakhstan’s multi-vector foreign policy. Astana already hosts landmark events in the political domain, like the Astana International Forum (AIF) and the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Now, the Kazakh capital has all the chances to become a leader in entertainment in the region.
With Lopez making two concerts in Astana and Almaty this year, I know that the resurgence of events, like Lopez’s tour, is a true sign of a few possibilities for Kazakhstan.
Effect on businesses and tourism
From the JLo concert, for example, authorities reported on 15,000 visitors, with a contribution to the city’s economy of around 6.5 billion tenge (US$12 million) in the hotel, restaurant, and catering system and over 400 million tenge (US$745,000) in direct tax revenues from the concert.
Around the world, it is a common practice that people turn a concert visit into a mini-holiday, using the opportunity to explore the city and the country. The hope in Kazakhstan is that the international fans’ excitement will translate into travel and generous spending on food, shopping, and leisure.
The idea of live music tours having a massive economic impact on local economies is not new. When Taylor Swift took her world tour to the United Kingdom last year, the Barclays’ analysis estimated that fans would spend around £1 billion (US$1.3 billion) to boost the U.K. economy. Such a phenomenon is common among artists with big names to the point that a concert tour increases the country’s inflation rate in the month they perform.
While the vast majority of JLo concert attendees were Kazakhstan’s music fans, the number of overseas music tourists is on the rise. Her show in Almaty attracted audiences from 35 countries. A report from the Astana tourism development center estimates 1.7 million visitors in Astana this year, up from 1.5 million in 2024.
The Backstreet Boys’ September visit to Kazakhstan will mean that the summer boom will last a little longer for the hospitality and travel industries. Holding concerts only in Astana and Almaty means Backstreet Boys fans will be coming from other regions, adding some “export” dollars for tourism.
Sporting events are another growth area for Kazakhstan, and one that has proven its ability to attract global audiences. For example, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) 250 series tournament, which will be held in Almaty for the second year in a row, provides an opportunity for the tennis world to refocus on Kazakhstan.
Infrastructure challenges
Memes such as “artists announcing a world tour” and then only showing the map of Europe and the United States do not necessarily reflect artists’ reluctance to visit “non-conventional” places. Instead, it highlights the challenges of touring globally, such as the high cost of transporting up to 20 tons of equipment and a large crew, as well as the limited availability of venues capable of hosting large-scale productions, even in large cities like Astana or Almaty.
A wave of big-name acts, including the Backstreet Boys and Jennifer Lopez, is not only a sign that Kazakhstan is finally on the radar of international tour managers but also a reflection of the cities’ readiness to host large-scale events.
Currently, the largest stadium in Astana is the Astana Arena, with a seating capacity of 30,000, while Almaty’s Central Stadium can accommodate over 23,000 spectators.
For all the money the entertainment industry usually brings in, one of the more common problems is overtourism – the saturation of a destination by visitors in numbers it cannot sustain.
Astana’s infrastructure is well-prepared to host events of all sizes, with nearly 300 hotels in the city, including nine 5-star and over 100 rated three or four stars, according to the Astana tourism development center.
Although the number of tourists has not yet exceeded the city’s capacity, Kazakhstan’s growing appeal to international artists could eventually strain its infrastructure and disrupt the daily lives of residents. With both Astana and Almaty already struggling with traffic congestion, this scenario may become increasingly common in the future. One potential solution could be increased investment in hotels and concert venues to better accommodate the growing demand.
As the Lopez concert tickets went on sale, the ticketing system was also put to the test. The first batch of tickets for Astana sold out in just over four hours, but the system struggled to handle the high volume of transactions, leaving many fans without tickets despite having been charged. However, the process showed signs of improvement: sales for the Almaty concert went more smoothly.
To compete with the rapidly developing tourism destinations surrounding Kazakhstan, the country should definitely bid for sell-out concerts and mega sporting events to boost tourism.
