ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s tourism industry showed solid growth in 2025, marked by rising foreign arrivals, expanding domestic travel and increased investment, reinforcing the country’s ambitions to become a leading destination in the region.
Photo credit: kinoafisha.info
Some 6.7 million domestic tourists used accommodation services in the first nine months of 2025, said Nurbol Baizhanov, acting chair of the Tourism Industry Committee under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports at a Feb. 28 press conference at the Central Communications Service.
Over the same period, Kazakhstan welcomed 15.7 million foreign visitors for tourism purposes, excluding labor migrants and permanent residents.
Accommodation facilities, including hotels, resorts and guesthouses, generated 268 billion tenge (US$536.8 million) in revenue, up 44 billion tenge (US$88.1 million) year-on-year. The number of accommodation sites rose to nearly 4,500, reflecting both growing demand and expanded capacity.
Kazakhstan also improved its standing in the World Economic Forum’s global travel and tourism index, climbing from 66th to 52nd place among 119 countries. Authorities attribute the progress to sustained efforts to upgrade infrastructure, enhance safety and improve accessibility.
Foreign visitors are predominantly aged 30 to 50, with men making up the majority. The key source markets include Russia, Uzbekistan, China, India, Germany, South Korea and several Arab states.
The Almaty Region remains one of the country’s top destinations. In 2025, its national parks attracted 1.8 million visitors, while 147,000 foreign tourists traveled to the region, placing it third nationwide after Almaty and Astana. More than 25 major international sports and cultural events are scheduled there this year to strengthen its global visibility.
