ASTANA – Kazakhstan welcomed 655,000 Chinese tourists in 2024, a 78% increase from the previous year, Nurtas Karipbayev, the chairman of the Tourism Industry Committee of the Kazakh Transport Ministry, said at a Feb. 6 press conference in the Central Communications Service (CCS).
Photo credit: gov.kz
During the official visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to China, 2024 was declared the Year of Kazakhstan’s Tourism in China. This initiative created new opportunities for tourists and strengthened industry partnerships, aiming to attract 500,000 Chinese visitors and generate $300 million in tourism revenue.
Karipbayev said more than 200 agreements were signed between regions, travel companies, agencies and media platforms. The largest Chinese media and social networks, with an audience of over 1.3 billion people, broadcast messages about Kazakhstan, significantly increasing the country’s recognition as a travel destination.
In addition, 37 business and cultural events were organized to boost Kazakhstan’s popularity in the Chinese market.
“In terms of the number of booked trips, Kazakhstan rose from 40th to 29th place in the list of popular countries among Chinese tourists,” Karipbayev said.
Auto tourism is also gaining popularity in Kazakhstan and China. Several international events dedicated to this trend were held last year, including the Silk Road rally, the Silk Road motorcycle tour, and the international event Paris-Peking Motor Challenge.
Almaty has become the most popular destination in Kazakhstan for Chinese tourists, while Astana has been promoted as a business and medical tourism hub, highlighted during the Beijing roadshow.
Over 300 bilateral meetings were held in Astana, Beijing, Almaty, Urumqi, and Hong Kong. Kazakhstan also participated in four major tourism exhibitions – ITB China, ITE Hong Kong, China Outbound Travel & Tourism Market (COTTM), and China International Medical Tourism Fair – establishing over 50 new partnerships with leading Chinese tour operators.
Ten major familiarization tours were organized across Kazakhstan, bringing tourism industry representatives and 30 opinion leaders with a combined audience of over 100 million.
Kazakhstan’s tourism potential was widely promoted through media and digital platforms. The three-part documentary “Bond with China” about Kazakhstan aired on China’s largest TV channel, CCTV, while marketing campaigns and influencer visits led to more than 60 million social media views.
Cultural events played a key role in deepening ties. The Kazakhconcert group toured Dezhou and Langfang, and an exhibition from the National Museum of Kazakhstan was held in Tianjin. In Beijing, the Nauryzfest ethno festival marked the official launch of the Year of Tourism, while Urumqi hosted a Kazakh gastronomic festival.
The official opening ceremony, which took place on March 28-29 at the National Opera House of China, drew over 500 guests. The Year of Tourism concluded on Nov. 27 in Almaty with an international forum attended by 300 industry representatives.
Now 2025 has officially been declared the Year of China’s Tourism in Kazakhstan.
